Trails End
by Jhiz
Summary: Old West Challenge - Alternate Universe story pitting Kyoko against cattle, campfires, chuck-wagons and, of course, handsome cowboys.
1. Setting the Stage

Kyoko Mogami nervously twisted the patchwork quilt between her fingers as she glanced at the soft light that had just begun filtering into the simple but clean rented room. She and her childhood friend, Sho, had taken separate rooms in the best kept hotel in Creek Bend over two weeks ago. They were registered as siblings and no one had raised a fuss about it yet. Outside her window, birds chirped to welcome the dawn. Hearing footsteps in the hallway outside her door, the young woman jumped from her rumpled bed and raced for the door. She twisted the key and pulled it open in order to peak through the crack.

"Sho!" she exclaimed as she opened wide the door and rushed from her private room. Her voluminous nightgown trailed behind her quickly moving, slim form.

Ignoring the excited girl, Shotaro Fuwa unlocked his own door and entered his slightly larger rented room. The young man tossed his hat onto the bed and sunk into the wooden ladder-backed chair that sat along the white painted wall. A huge yawn escaped his mouth as he listened to Kyoko ramble about how worried she was when he did not come home last night. Sho yawned again and rubbed his face wearily.

"Can we do this later, Kyoko?" he requested as he rolled his head to loosen the cramped muscles in his neck. His blond hair shifted to partially cover his sleepy blue eyes. He had just spent the better part of the night playing poker down the street at the Hang Dog Saloon, and he really wasn't in the mood for his childhood friend's incessant prattle. Most days, the slightly older fellow relegated the excited sounds Kyoko expressed to pleasant background noise. Unfortunately, this morning he was too tired to make the effort.

Kyoko nodded happily before kneeling to pull off his stiff boots. She sat the expensive footwear by the door and retrieved his hat from the bed. The young woman hung the hat on one of the wall hooks before turning back to her friend. She brushed the palms of her hands together to knock the clinging dust from them.

"I really was worried when you didn't come home last night," she admitted as she anxiously wandered around the room straightening the few personal items that are lying haphazardly on any available surface. As a lifelong friend, Kyoko knew that Shotara was a natural slob. For years, she had been following behind him like his own personal maid. Although for a normal girl this duty would be an utter annoyance, she never minded. In fact, Kyoko loved being able to help her friend in any way possible. He was a prince in her eyes and deserved every available comfort.

"Don't be a nag," barks Sho as he stood to wash his face.

Kyoko gasped as Sho poured water from the ceramic pitcher on the wash stand into the large ceramic basin. He had never used that tone with her before now.

"I didn't mean to nag," the young woman replied softly. "I was just worried. I don't think you should spend so much time gambling and such. It's not good for you."

"I'll do whatever the hell I want," countered Sho angrily. "I left home to get away from this crap and you brought it right along with me."

The young blond man dried his face and threw the towel against the wall beside Kyoko's head. She flinched although the soft projectile hit the wall quite a distance from her face. Turning, Sho began to roughly remove his dark suit. His clothes, the height of fashion in the East before they left on their adventure, dropped unceremoniously piece by piece onto the floor as he continues to rant.

"You're not my wife or my mother. You have no right to tell me what to do."

The angry male whipped back to face the red-faced young woman who was busy staring at her uncovered toes that peaked innocently from the hem of her floor length nightgown.

"I don't mean to tell you what to do," she whispered in anguish. "I just worry about your safety in that rough place with all those rough people."

Kyoko grimaced slightly as she thought about the unsavory ruffians Sho was sure to encounter spending all his time in saloons. Her heart clenched as she imagined the beautiful and scandalously dressed young woman who would be surrounding him in such places. She could never compete with their vivid beauty and worried that one of them will lead her love astray.

"What do you know about the people in those places?" taunted Sho as he scoffed at his innocent and morally rigid friend. She would never associate willingly with the scoundrels the Fuwa heir had recently been enjoying. "They are a hell of a lot more fun then an uptight, plain, and boring little girl like you. They know how to live. They seize every bit of joy out of the day and milk it for all its worth. You do nothing but suck the joy from life with your planning and routine. You should have stayed the hell in Philadelphia."

Kyoko gasped and raised her head with pain evident in her striking golden eyes.

"I came because you asked me to come. You said that you needed me. You said that you would never be able to survive the trip without my help," she whispered fervently.

"Yeah, well the trip is over. I don't need you here so leave me alone," he harshly replied.

Kyoko cringed for a moment as her world crumbled around her. For years, her entire existence had revolved around her childhood friend. Every plan she made, every chore she completed, and every hardship she endured had been for his sake.

Kyoko had been happy in Philadelphia. Although her early childhood had been a nightmare, her entire existence had bloomed into a veritable fairytale when her father and mother adopted her. Her parents were wealthy and influential, and they had provided her with every opportunity imaginable. She was well educated, pampered and adored. Best of all, she was given the chance to become friends with the son of her father's best friend.

The Fuwa family owned a number of high class hotels in Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Richmond. Their only child, Shotaro, had grown up beside Kyoko, and both families had always assumed that when they reached the proper age that the two youngsters would join the two influential families as family instead of just friends. It was this assumption that had prompted the young man to flee from home.

Sho did not want to marry his friend. Although he did like her well enough not to chase her out of his life, he never found her attractive, and her accommodating behavior, although enjoyable for avoiding addressing his own responsibilities, reminded him too much of a servant. In his arrogance, Sho could not imagine sharing his life with someone as far below him as a servant.

The egotistical seventeen year old might not have wanted to marry Kyoko, but he was realistic enough to know that he did not want to take care of himself. Therefore, when he decided to sow his wild oats in one of the worst possible ways imaginable, he dragged his childhood friend along for the ride. They had fled the city in the dead of the night. Sho never told his parents anything about leaving but Kyoko had at least left a short note that she was with Sho so that her family would not worry. Both teens had ample money and assets available for the trip, and their travels had been relatively comfortable.

"If you don't need me, then why did you bring me here?" accused Kyoko as a bit of her natural spunk forced her to stop cringing along the wall.

"Temporary insanity?" he replied harshly. "I had to be insane to want to bring along a clingy, boring, useless girl whose only skills are picking up my clothes and nagging that I stay out too late."

"I'm not useless," Kyoko cried passionately.

"Right," Sho snidely answered as he crossed his arms across his bare chest and smirked.

"I can take care of myself better then you can take care of yourself," the young female stated with conviction.

Sho stepped towards the dresser where he had laid his belt with his twin revolvers. They had been a gift for his sixteenth birthday from his father, and he prided himself on his ability to shoot. He yanked one of the holsters off the leather belt and tossed the gun and holder at the fuming female. Kyoko clumsily caught the weapon and held it against her nightgown clad body.

"Now we're even," growled the exhausted young man. "You take care of yourself, and I'll take care of myself."

For a moment, Kyoko stared at her friend in disbelief.

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out," Sho prompted as he waved her towards the entrance before rudely unclasping his pants and dropping them to the floor.

With a flustered yet angry gasp, the innocent young woman fled from the room and back to her rented space.

Instantly regretting picking a fight with his best friend, Sho still crawled into bed. He figured that he would apologize after he woke up. Kyoko always forgave him for everything so he reasoned that this time would be no different. Sleep pulled at his weary form and slumber overcame him. Unfortunately for the spoiled young man, he would not have a chance to voice his regret. By the time he awoke, Kyoko was long gone.

* * *

><p>Kyoko sat stewing on the neatly made four poster bed in her room. Never before had Sho been so cruel. Not even when they were young children had he wielded words that were as custom made to hurt her so efficiently. The words that he does not need her and that she should leave him alone echoed repeatedly in her mind. Her delicate hand raised to swipe a single tear from her cheek. Just as swiftly, her chin raised. Kyoko took a deep breath and glanced about her room.<p>

Her eyes rested for a moment on the revolver that announced to the world that Fuwa had no intention of protecting her like the noble prince she always imagined him to be would have done.

Never one to allow something bad to linger too long in her mind, Kyoko stood resolutely. If Sho Fuwa was not her prince then she would become one herself. She was not useless as her friend had cruelly taunted. Kyoko resolved to prove this to him in the best way possible. She turned her head and caught the long, thick, braid that fell down her back to just beyond her waist. Her thick, black hair had been a blessing and a curse all her life. It was a curse because it forever marked her as an outsider in the blond haired, blue eyed family that adopted her.

Conversely, her hair was a blessing because it was the only thing about her physical appearance that Sho had ever complimented. When they were little, the child Sho had loved to lay on the grass in the shade of one of the huge oak trees that surrounded his home. While he relaxed, the boy would run his fingers through Kyoko's hair. The heavy, shifting strands were fascinating to him. He would wrap them around his fingers and gently tug them in an attempt to create curls. He would even brush her hair if he was in a really good mood. As the friends matured, Kyoko had refused to have her hair cut into the latest fashions just because her prince loved her locks. The teen could never hope to count the number of nights she had spent sitting in the Fuwa parlor reading books to Sho while he absently wrapped her thick braid repeatedly around his hand. He would wind the long rope of hair around his hands a number of times then wiggle his hand free only to repeat the process all over again. Kyoko yanked her braid once to refocus her resolve.

With renewed vigor, the young woman walked to the small dresser in her room and pulled open the bottom drawer. She withdrew her sewing kit. Extracting her scissors from the small basket of needles, thread, and extra buttons, Kyoko gripped them tightly as she moved to the small wash stand on the opposite wall. With the gilded mirror on the wall as a guide, Kyoko set to shearing away her hair until all that remained was a cropped, messy shadow of its former glory.

Tucking her hack job under her oldest bonnet, Kyoko gathered the rest of her things. She carefully packed the nightshirt she had stolen from her adopted brother as a reminder of home along with the revolver. She added all her available cash into the smallest bag. She removed the delicate blue topaz ring that her mother gave her for her last birthday. Her mother had hugged her tightly and promised that the next piece of jewelry her princess received would surely be a shiny diamond from Shotaro. Kyoko placed the ring on a simple chain and tucked it inside her oldest blouse. Everything else in her room she stored carefully in the larger bag.

Kyoko dragged her possessions from her room. She left only her partially unwoven braid on the stand as she exited the hotel without a backward glance. Hours later when Sho entered her room with an apology on his lips, all he would find was the haunting reminder of his precious childhood friend.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Since AlitaBlake kindly tuned me into this challenge, I thought I would lend my own twist to the Dime Store Novel (although no, sorry, this will not be novel length... one of those is good enough for now). I am floundering in unknown territory here though because I have never been to Texas, never read a Wild West Romance novel, and only know rudimentary info about cattle drives. Hopefully my lack of knowledge on the era and place (since the sum of my Old West knowledge is John Wayne movies, a single Western novel and a childhood affection for The Young Riders) will not detract from this attempt - Me  
><strong>

**The Challenge:**

The Kyoko and Ren Travel To The Old West Challenge(for lack of a better name)  
><em>Ok, I guess it could be the anybody from Skip Beat travels to the Old West Challenge, but I only like RenKyoko fics. hehe. Sorry_.

The Rules:  
>1) It must take place in the old west (is there an old west in Japan? IDK. Any location, as long as it is Old and West. Just play with it.) and fit the bill of a typical western.<br>2) It must end KyokoXRen, but feel free to throw in whomever you please (The idea of Lory in the Old West intrigues me  
>3) There MUST be a gunfight. Doesn't matter who's in it, but there are ALWAYS gun fights in westerns.<br>4) In character would be nice, but OOC is understandable to a degree. However, basics should be kept. (Any scenes where Ren shoots Sho, perfectly acceptable)


	2. Home

Kyoko strode purposefully from the slightly run-down porch of the Masonville Mercantile where she had successfully unloaded the contents of her large travel bag. The young woman had even gotten a few coins for the worn luggage. She tightened her grip on her remaining small bag as she strode towards the small inn where she had rented an almost distressingly tiny and dingy room for the night.

Kyoko was accustomed with much better accommodations, but she was not about to complain. Even if she had to stand in the hall to wash her face and hands in a communal wash basin, she was happy to be off the streets. Masonville was a scary little town a day's ride by stagecoach from Creek Bend. When she had exited the stage in the late afternoon with the intention of staying, the kind driver had expressed his concern about leaving a young woman alone in the town. She had assured the older man that she was meeting her older brother in the town and promised that she would be fine.

Loud voices and the sharp snap of a weapon being discharged forced the young woman to increase the speed of her stride. She practically ran into the restaurant which was on the first floor of her one night room. Shuddering at the thought of stray bullets, Kyoko hastened up the steps to the relative safety of her room.

The rented space was barely large enough to hold the single bed. Opening the door into her room, Kyoko tossed her remaining bag onto what she hoped were clean blankets on the bed. The teen growled in frustration when she noticed that the lock on the door was broken. After a quick consideration, the inventive female grabbed the bed and yanked it away from the wall. She then scrambled over the bed and pushed it against the inwardly opening door to create at least a small barricade for her safety and privacy.

Fleetingly, Kyoko hoped that she would not need to use the outhouse during the night. Grinning at her silly, scattered thoughts, the young woman retrieved her older brother's pajama shirt from her bag. She shed her bonnet, skirt and blouse before folding them carefully. She slid into the over-sized shirt that no longer held the scent that reminded her of her kind older brother.

Wrapping herself in the reminder of home, Kyoko sunk onto the bed and allowed her mind to think about the family she left behind in Philadelphia.

Tears slipped unbidden down her cheeks as she pictured each member of her far away family. Kuu Hizuri, her father, was the man every child would want as a parent. He was strict when it came to responsibility or one's word, but he was also capable of showing his love in a way few could match and none could surpass. Her father would always offer praise and attention. He never strayed from his duty as provider, teacher, or protector. Besides her times with Sho, some of Kyoko's favorite childhood memories involved times spent in the kitchen sneaking snacks with her father. Kyoko grinned. Her father's appetite was fearsome. Mother often joked that he had to eat so much to keep his huge heart powered properly.

Kyoko's hand absently caressed the ring suspended on the chain around her neck as she thought about her mother. Julienne Hizuri was nothing short of awe inspiring. She was a gorgeous and elegant woman who boasted a keen and coolly logical mind behind the unparalleled packaging. Many were the times that Kyoko's adopted mother had expertly redirected her father's exuberant passion down a less fool-hearty path. At the same time, her mother reveled in the adoration her husband showered upon her.

Kyoko sighed with longing. She had always dreamed of marrying her prince and having a loving and perfect relationship just like her parents. Unwelcome reminders of the spoiled boy she had always imagined in the position of husband crept into the young woman's mind.

"No!" she scolded herself. She had no intention of thinking about Sho again. She forced the unwelcome thoughts and feelings from her conscious with happier memories of her adopted brother.

Kuon was a strange combination of both parents. He had his mother's almost ethereal beauty but it blended well with just enough of his father's attractive features to save him from being feminine. Like any good little sister, Kyoko boasted a healthy dose of hero worship for her older brother. He was the one who had finally cracked the hardened shell of the fearful and withdrawn child that their father saved from neglect and abuse. Neither Kuu's unbounded love nor Julie's insightful intellect were able to reach her when she first was brought into their home. It had been Kuon's quiet tenderness and amazing stories that had drawn her from her dim past and into the warm light of the Hizari family. For weeks, the ten year old boy had spent every free moment he could find following her and subjecting her to his own brand of conditioning.

If Kyoko went outside, Kuon would follow and practice his ample repertoire of amazing physical skills. He would walk on his hands, climb trees and hang by his legs. He could do flips in the air and once or twice, the young Kyoko almost thought he flew. If Kyoko hid in her room, Kuon would sit in the hallway reading aloud from one of mother's books. He made himself a constant presence that the six year old finally stopped trying to avoid. Then, one day when she was hiding in the garden crying, Kuon had found her and pulled her into his lap. He had not said a word and just allowed her to stain his shirt with her tears. When she had finally regained control of her sorrow, the blond ten year old had simply kissed her on the forehead and smiled tenderly at her before wandering back into the house. The second time he found her crying, Kuon had done the same thing. The third time Kyoko felt like crying, she had actually sought his company. Kuon was working on his homework at his desk in his bedroom when Kyoko slipped into his room. He noticed her entrance right away. Kuon held his arms open, and Kyoko threw herself into his embrace. When her tears were spent, she finally spoke to her big brother for the first time. Once the dam was broken, the words flew from her little body. In almost no time, the little girl was speaking with not only her new brother but his parents. Soon, Kyoko came to claim them as her own parents too.

"I miss you, Kuon," Kyoko whispered into the gloomy and lonely room before curling into a tight ball on the top of the blankets and falling into a light sleep.

Morning found Kyoko putting the next step of her plan into motion. Reaching into her bag, she withdrew a pair of boy's trousers and a sturdy shirt that she had purchased yesterday afternoon. With her teeth, she started a tear in the old skirt. After ripping the clothing into strips, she tightly wrapped them around her chest. Kyoko slipped into the new shirt and tucked it into her pants. She shoved her feet into the second hand leather cowboy boots that she found at the same mercantile she bought the pants and shirt. The young woman stood and surveyed her results.

"Good thing I'm almost flat as a board and not built like mother," she muttered to herself as she finally turned the most common insult she heard in recent years from the myriad of jealous girls in her family's social sphere into a positive attribute.

Kyoko ran her hands through her ornery hair in an attempt to coax it into a dark shadow of her big brother's hairstyle. Unable to get it right because her think hair developed a mind of its own when she chopped it short, the teen conceded defeat and just concentrated on keeping it off her face. Finally feeling fully transformed, Kyoko moved the bed back to its original position. Swinging open the door, the teen who entered a cute, young female exited in the appearance of a much younger but still cute male.

Kyoko realized that just looking the part would not be enough to fool everyone. In her mind, she visualized her older brother: his walk, his posture, his mannerism, his voice, and his attitude. Instead of the tender ten year old, she concentrated on the older version. She imagined the fifteen year old who strained against the perceived constraints of being his father's son. He had rebelled and pushed away the concerns of his parents. Kuon had begun a spiral that might have led to ruin without the intervention of his little sister. This time, it was Kyoko's inner light and unconditional love that finally broke the dam and saved Kuon. She had turned his own tactics against him. She followed, she pushed gently, she listened and, finally, she absolved. It had been the second turning point in their relationship and just as important as Kuon's original victory.

That older version was the Kuon she mimicked. The fierce and stubborn teen on the cusp of manhood was her chosen image, and she allowed it to blossom from her heart into her body. As the teen stepped into the late winter dawn which held the promise of the coming spring, she became her older brother.

* * *

><p>Not quite trusting her disguise to survive the stagecoach office where she might meet some of the people from her arrival yesterday, Kyoko chose to weasel a cheap horse loan from the only stable in town. After some stiff negotiating on price and an agreement to turn the horse over to the owner's cousin who was the school teacher for her next destination, the false boy found herself in the possession of a horse that she joked to herself might be old enough to have belonged to a Spanish conquistador. By mid morning, the teen was trotting Northeast towards another small town and repeating a thankful prayer that horsemanship was one of the activities she enjoyed sharing with her brother and her father.<p>

By late evening, a very hungry and exhausted teen meandered into Trials End on the back of an equally hungry and exhausted steed.

"Good boy," Kyoko muttered in her best attempt at her brother's voice as she slid from the horse's back. She rubbed it's warm neck and rested her head against the soft flesh for a moment. "Now, we just need to find the school teacher so we can get you some supper and a rub down."

A quick inventory of the small town revealed a much nicer situation then her location last night. Trails End was obviously more then just a crossroads town. Just on the main street, Kyoko counted a restaurant, two saloons, a barbershop, a bathhouse and laundry, and two stores. With a blush, Kyoko recognized the tell-tale signs of a small brothel nestled against the larger of the two saloons. Noticing a building that would most likely be the sheriff's office, Kyoko led her four-legged companion down the wide dusty street towards the best chance of getting information from an at least somewhat trust-able resource. Although the deputy on duty gave the teen a thorough once over, he still pointed "Kuon " in the right direction.

An hour later, Kyoko tucked herself into a cramped but clean hotel room and contemplated her next course of action. She realized that there was no way she could travel the entire way back to Philadelphia on her own. It was too dangerous and too expensive an endeavor. Kyoko dumped her remaining funds onto the bed and considered her options. She had enough money to buy a decent horse and probably rations for a number of weeks but she would not have enough to pay for a train ticket even if she made it in one piece to a railhead. Another option would be to hire someone to take her home but that had the same problems as the first option only her money would run out twice as fast with two people traveling.

Kyoko stood and paced in her small space. She traveled from bed to window to door and back three times before she once more settled on the small bed.

"Maybe I don't need to get to a train. Maybe I just need to get a message to a station," she mused. With the completion of the transcontinental telegraph system, it would be possible for her to contact Philadelphia. No matter how angry her family felt at her betrayal in following Sho, Kyoko still firmly believed they would rush to save her no matter where she was in the world. Unfortunately, getting to a town that had a telegraph station would create the same issues that getting to a railhead since most of the telegraph lines followed railway lines.

"It all comes down to money, Kyoko," she told herself with a grimace. "Money means a job."

With her new goal in mind, Kyoko stepped from the room the next morning in her only clothes available. The teen wandered down the street making inquiries at shops about possible employment. Unfortunately, none of the townsfolk seemed interested in offering work to an unknown boy who lacked the physical prowess expected of a 16 year old male. Kyoko purposefully avoided the less savory businesses in the town and by early afternoon had visited almost every one. All that remained was the smaller of the two mercantile shops and the barber.

Disheartened, Kyoko wiped her bangs from her sweaty forehead and entered the Darumaya Trading Post. She was greeted by a plump, motherly-looking woman in a sturdy skirt and plain matching shirt. The woman smiled warmly but shook her head when asked if they needed any help.

"Your family new to the area?" the older woman inquired before Kyoko could turn to leave.

Not expecting the friendly question, Kyoko stumbled on finding an honest answer that would not reveal her real circumstances. When she stuttered that she had just arrived last night at Trails End, the older woman shook her head and clicked her tongue as if her arrival was unusual.

"Well, welcome to Trails End, son. It's a lovely town and I hope your family likes it here," the shopkeeper expressed with obvious pride in her hometown. "I'm Mary Miller. My husband's John and we've been running the trading post here since before there was more then two roads intersecting in town. We sell most of the dry goods and food stuff for the area. Ogata carries more farm equipment and seed at his place so we can both do a fine business without stepping on each others toes."

"What does your family plan to do?" the friendly woman added.

Kyoko smiled sheepishly.

"Actually, my family isn't with me right now," she admits under the weight of the goodwill emanating from Mary. Across the room, two dark eyes shifted from inventorying canned beans and fruit. A slight frown puckered the normally passive face John Miller showed the world. His gaze snapped rapidly over the slight form of the boy listening politely to his wife. John loved his wife but was the first to admit that she could talk the ear off a stalk of corn if given half a chance. He listened with only half an ear as Mary speculated that their guest's father must be a ranch hand but then contradicted herself by stating that it was still a bit early in the year for the drives to begin.

Kyoko listened politely to Mrs. Miller's long-winded monologue as she contemplated how to extract herself from the situation without offending the older woman. Suddenly, a distraction occurred.

"Chuuur. Chuuur," sounded her stomach in loud protest of its prolonged denial of sustenance. Embarrassed, Kyoko's persona slipped a bit and she squeaked an apology as her face flamed a deep red. The blush bloomed across her cheeks to her ears and down to the neckline of her slightly rumpled blue shirt. Mary waved the incident away as she launched into a story about the minister cutting services short one week because his stomach was making such a racket that no one could concentrate on the sermon anyway.

"Eat it," commanded a deep voice that startled Kyoko from the whirlwind of Mary's tale telling.

Kyoko looked at the hand holding a chunk of cheese and a golden brown roll. Accepting the food with an thankful smile, she followed the hand up to it's source. Kyoko swallowed at the scowl on the large and intimidating man's face. The storekeeper was staring at Kyoko's hands that nervously grasped the offering.

"Thank you, sir," Kyoko stammered as the man raised his eyes to pin her with a very hard glare.

"Can ya read?" John demanded.

Kyoko nodded because she feared that words would not issue from her tongue in that moment.

"Figures?"

"I'm good at math," Kyoko replied as she took a deep breath.

"Ever driven a wagon?" the storekeeper inquired.

"I've driven a carriage," the teen answered with a smile. She always loved when Kuon or her father allowed her to take the reins and control the carriage on trips. It was a treat that she was not allowed when her mother was with them. The secrecy made it an even larger thrill.

"Get your stuff and be back by dusk. Room and board plus two bits a week and you help with whatever needs done," the older man stated more then asked.

"Yes, sir," Kyoko replied with wide eyes before thanking him and fleeing the store. As she hastened down the dusty street, Kyoko wondered about her luck. Room and board was a great boon, but she would have to see how much work would be entailed in a twenty-five cent a week job. Something was better then nothing but at that rate it would take ages to earn enough to return home. Their tickets on the train to St. Louis alone had been almost $40 so Kyoko could only shudder to think how much more it would cost to get from Texas to Philadelphia.

Kyoko absently packed her few personal items in her bag as she considered how this new development could help her plans. Although the postal service was notoriously slow and unreliable, Kyoko decided to write a letter to her family and tell them where she was. Since she was going to have a real address if this job worked, she could offer them information on where she was stuck. With any luck, the letter would reach them before she earned her fare for the return trip. Perhaps her father would even write her a letter in return. If nothing else, it would allay any worry her family held from not hearing from her. Gathering her meager things, Kyoko decided to return to the shop early and see about purchasing some stationary.

Soon, Kyoko was tucked into a small bedroom above the storefront. Her new room was neat and even had it's own washstand. Kyoko grinned at the mismatched pitcher and basin that Mrs. Miller had dug out of some forgotten corner in the surprisingly large storage room at the back of the store. She clutched the slightly crumpled stationary and used ink set that the friendly woman had offered her. Her eyes rimmed with tears as she considered the kindness of the Millers.

A sharp rap sounded on her open door, and Kyoko looked to see the imposing figure of John Miller staring at her intently.

"Boy," he called roughly. "You ain't running or hiding from anything or anyone, right?"

"No, sir," Kyoko promised earnestly.

The older gentleman continued to size her up for another few minutes. Finally, he nodded once.

"You ain't big enough to be 16. Anyone asks, tell 'em your 14."

Kyoko nodded although she was not sure why he would say such a thing.

"Be in the house before dark unless your on work business or we know where ya be."

Kyoko nodded in agreement again, and the older man offered her the faintest hint of an encouraging smile.

"You'll be fine, **_boy_**," he stated firmly with just the hint of emphasis on the title. The imposing man turned without another word, and Kyoko heard his footfalls down the steps towards the small kitchen where his wife was waiting.

When John entered the room where Mary was fixing a small supper for them, she could not help but wonder why her normally conservative husband suddenly decided that they needed help in the shop. When she asked, John just grunted. Mary realized that was all the answer she would get so happily went onto another subject, but it did not stop her from exercising her imagination on the topic instead.

Upstairs, Kyoko shook. She was not sure if the tension would end in tears or laughter. She had only been disguised as a boy for one day, but she had already been given away. She was thankful that Mr. Miller did not seem to mind nor did he seem the type to pry into the reasons behind her circumstances either. He seemed willing to accept her as long as she wasn't running from a spouse or the law. Crossing her fingers, the teen silently hoped that his wife does not discover the secret. Although Mary seemed lovely, Kyoko was sure that everyone in town would know who she was quicker then a jackrabbit jumps if the older woman were to uncover her true nature.

"I sure hope I'm fine," Kyoko echoed to the quiet of her new room.


	3. Interesting Kid

Much to Kyoko's pleasure, John Miller appeared to be a bit of a psychic. She had been fine. In fact, she was better then fine. She felt alive. Granted, her body hurt in places she did not know could hurt, but she still felt good about the pain. It was pain from hard work. In the two weeks she had been living with the Millers, Kyoko had cleaned and organized the storage room, loaded and unloaded a number of wagons, learned to hitch and to handle the Millers' workhorses, as well as scrubbed and oiled every bit of tack in the shed. She also spent a number of hours working in the trading post which allowed her the opportunity to meet more of the townspeople of Trails End.

John Miller had not mentioned her situation again and the trio had fallen into a comfortable pattern that painfully reminded Kyoko of the pleasant times with her family even more. Mary Miller made every effort to include 'Kuon' in their household. She dragged the boy to church where the teen caught the attention of the minister's thirteen year old daughter. Much to Kyoko's consternation, the young girl had been into the store three times already this week. She came twice to pick up little things for her mother and once just to check the bolts of material in contemplation of a new dress that her mother had no intention of making her.

Chiori had tried to engage the cute boy in a discussion about material. Kyoko, figuring that her own brother hated the entire topic when her mother had rattled on about dresses and fashion, had unfortunately crushed the poor girl's spirit when she gruffly asked why she would care about how a dress looked. She had further nailed the coffin in the discussion by commenting that clothes were just something to cover a body and that one choice was pretty much the same as the next. The decidedly distressed young girl had left the store with the insight that just because a boy was cute did not mean that he liked cute things.

If anything, this discovery had spawned an obsession on Chiori's part to discover more about the handsome youth who she had set her sights on capturing. She became more persistent. The thirteen year old corned Kuon after church and assaulted him with questions about his interests and convictions. She invited the perceived him to dinner with her family. She plagued him about school which in turn led to a visit from Mr. Sawara, the town school teacher. The teacher had arrived intending to coax the young man into attending classes, but he left the store feeling the need to return himself. After only a twenty minute conversation with the Millers' new employee, Sawara had conceded that the boy had a better education then his. In fact, if the youth hadn't been so young, the educator would have worried about Kuon taking his job.

Kyoko sighed in relief as she hooked the horses to the yokes and pole on the Miller's wagon. She had just given a quick pat and word of affection to the two steady workhorses when John appeared.

"Grab that letter you wanna post and come on," he directed to the surprised teen.

Kyoko scrambled to retrieve the letter and envelop she had penned just a few nights ago to her family. When the teen climbed onto the wooden wagon seat beside Mr. Miller, the older man startled her by grabbing her hands. He flipped Kyoko's hands back and forth then grunted.

"Gettin there," he muttered before taking the reins and releasing the brake. With a loud grunt which the horses properly interpreted as go, the wagon lurched forward.

Kyoko glanced at her hands in confusion. Her once delicate and well manicured fingers no longer appeared so well groomed. Her nails were blunt and one was even broken a bit further than comfortable. It held the remnants of blood still around the edges. On her palms and the pads of her fingers, a number of blisters had broken. The sores were well on their way to becoming callouses. The vanity in the teen silently lamented the change while the larger part of her consciousness reveled in the way her work-worn hands now appeared. They were hands of which to be proud; they had been earned with hard work.

After a two day trip and a night camped under the stars, John and Kyoko met with a carpenter in Shade Tree which Kyoko found was aptly named because the area almost reminded her of her home state with the thickness of the trees. They loaded the wagon with a number of consigned pieces of furniture as well as some stock pieces for the store. John then offered Kyoko an afternoon free while he and his friend sneaked a trip to the local saloon.

Kyoko had found the post office and mailed her letter. She had window shopped until finally meandering to the outskirts of town where she watched men working at a lumber mill. Dusk was approaching when a trio of rowdy boys came clamoring up the hill from the stream where they were fishing. The two larger boys were teasing the smallest one about his fittingly small catch. The youngster saw red, dropped his pole and fish, and attacked the closest friend. When the other two retaliated and began to hit and kick the smallest kid, Kyoko had to intervene.

"Knock it off," she gruffly stated as she yanked the larger boy off the child.

With time, Kyoko had become so immersed in being Kuon that she had forgotten a rather major fault in her childhood. Unlike like the real Kuon, she had no clue how to fight. This placed her in a decided disadvantage when the largest boy turned and retaliated at her for interfering. His arm flew wide and caught her across the cheek. He followed with a blow to the body that staggered the girl and sent her to her knees. The larger but younger boy was about to deliver a second strike to her face when his eyes got huge. Behind him, his friend grabbed his arm and started pulling him backwards. Former fight forgotten, the two real young men grabbed their smallest friend and ran down the road.

Idly, Kyoko wondered what scared them off but thanked whichever god was watching over her for the escape. She stood on shaky legs and turned to see what or who had driven away the trio. Her own golden eyes grew large as she looked up the long barrel of a large shotgun held in the hands of a dark skinned man.

"Um, thanks?" she stammered as she tried not to stare too hard at the first Indian she had seen up close. Between the large gun and the exotic individual, Kyoko found it hard not to keep stealing glances at the man sitting rigidly on his chestnut horse. The Indian was dressed much like all the other cowboys the teen had seen since she arrived in the west. He wore faded blue jeans, a button-up shirt and a dusty 'Boss of the Plains' on his head.

A loud laugh finally caught her attention and Kyoko glanced to the Indian's companion. Like the first man, this one sat as if born on his pale horse. The older man's eyes twinkled merrily and he laughed once more. The regal horse on which he rode tossed his head as if on parade.

"You're scaring the boy, Deche," Lory Takarada joked as he swung from his horse. His spurs tinged with each step the mustached man took towards the teen.

"You better be a good lover because you appear to be a lousy fighter, son," continued the older cowboy as he checked Kyoko's rapidly closing eye. Deche just watched his old friend fuss over the youth. He neither moved nor changed his expression as the older cowboy fussed profusely over the scrawny teen. Lory had a natural flare for dramatics, and Kyoko found herself even more lost under his on-slot of enthusiastic banter then she was under Mary Miller's cascading conversations.

Although Deche felt bad for the young man who Lory had cornered, he was not about to break the silence which was his namesake to intervene. When it came to Lory Takarada, a person had to learn to swim against the current on their own or they were doomed to drown. Even if it was only a passing dip in the river Takarada, the boy would learn a good lesson from the experience.

"So where do you need to be, boy?" the dark-haired and mustached man inquired as he pulled off his leather hat and ran his hand through his still thick hair. For a moment, Kyoko was transfixed by the overwhelming presence of the old cowboy. Strangely, she could just image the man in another place and time dressed as the king of some foreign country. It was as if the man carried an air of nobility and power that transcended time or space. Kyoko shook her head to clear the fanciful thoughts from her mind. She decided that the blow to the head must have rattled her brains.

Kyoko explained that she needed to get back to the carpenter's home on the other side of town, and Lory kindly offered her a ride. Takarada swung onto his horse, but it was Deche who offered his hand for the ride. Without a thought, Kyoko grabbed the silent man's large, warm hand. Lory grinned at the lack of hesitation from the skinny boy in taking the dark skinned man's hand. The Indian yanked, and Kyoko landed on the back of his strong horse. Kyoko grabbed the man tightly in fear of falling from the horse.

It had been ages since she rode double on a horse. Kyoko held herself stiffly as the two cowboys steered their mounts towards the opposite end of town. Riding tandem with Deche was far different then riding with Kuon. Her brother had first taught her not to fear horses by riding with her between him and the horses shoulders. Kuon's saddle had been a British saddle and lacked the horns on the pummels that both cowboys had present on their tack. It made it easier for the young girl to ride comfortably. In addition, riding in the arms of her big brother had never been as nerve wracking as riding with an unknown man. The odor of dirt, sweat and horseflesh was a disturbing combination to the girl who had never been in such close proximity to an adult male who had been physically working all day.

Grateful when the horses reached the carpenter's home in a timely fashion, Kyoko slipped quickly from the back of the chestnut. She thanked the two men for escorting her safely back and watched in confusion as the older man also slid from his horse. The cowboy strode confidently towards the house. He sharply rapped on the door and waited for the door to slide open. Warm lantern light spilled onto the porch and John frowned at the stranger standing there. He had been expecting Kuon since it started to get dark, and he was beginning to worry that the kid had not returned yet.

"Are you responsible for this kid?" Lory inquired as he grabbed Kyoko's arm and pulled her into the light.

From behind the storekeeper, the carpenter gasped at the rapidly forming black eye on Kyoko's face. Mr. Miller betrayed nothing with his expression as he simply replied in the affirmative. Lory pushed Kyoko gently through the door and informed the storekeeper that he had done a good job teaching the kid to stand up for others as he explained how the fight started. Lory then shrugged and added that he would recommend that the youth learned to throw a punch.

"If you don't teach him, he is gonna end up in a lot worse shape when he gets a bit older. At a minimum, teach him to keep up his hands," warned Lory over his shoulder as he exited the light on the porch and returned to his horse. The door closed away the friendly light leaving the two cowboys in the dark.

"Interesting kid," the pushy older man commented with a grin. As anticipated, his partner just nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>Kyoko's swollen eye and bruised face had receded to a dark brownish green with just the hint of swelling by the time the furniture laden wagon arrived back in Trails End. Kyoko assisted with unloading most of the pieces into the newly cleaned storage room but kept the horses yoked to the wagon. With a quick wave to Mrs. Miller, she climbed back on the wagon seat and set the horses in motion to deliver the final piece of finely crafted furniture.<p>

The beautiful desk had been ordered by Yukihito Yashiro, the town lawyer. Mr. Yashiro actually had two offices, one in Trails End and one in Masonville. As expected, he saw a higher number of clients in Masonville, but the well educated young man definitely preferred to call home in Trails End. Yuki preferred the friendlier law aspects of writing wills and dealing with minor disputes to the more aggressive cases he encountered further south. He also enjoyed Trails End because his best friend called it home.

Ren Tsuruga might be on the trail for three to four months out of the year, but Yuki could not imagine living somewhere where he could not regularly see his childhood friend. Ren's father had also been a lawyer and Yukihito had interned with him. The elder lawyer had been sure that his son and best friend would practice law together. Unfortunately, his dream was not to be. Ren had other plans. Although he loved the educational opportunities his father allowed him, he knew that he was not destined for a job in an office and wearing a suit. The outdoors called to him so at age fifteen he left home and made his way west. The man had worked like a possessed fiend, and Yuki often wondered how he survived the harsh pace he set for himself.

Yukihito had finished his internship with his best friend's father then followed the younger man in his adventure west. Right this moment, he was not following Ren though. Instead, he was fleeing from him. Ren was valiantly attempting to prepare supper for the two of them on the cooking stove in the living area behind Yuki's office. Although the cowboy could handle just about any danger the wild West could throw at him, dinner often defeated him. Yukihito had jumped at the chance to escape the little kitchen to answer the pounding at his front door. Though it was after office hours, the lawyer preferred a legal conundrum over an epic battle where the food won any day.

Mr. Yashiro swung open his front door to reveal a slight youth that he estimated to be thirteen or fourteen. He did not recognize the kid but he smiled in a friendly manner to him.

"I have a delivery for Mr. Yashiro. It's a desk," Kyoko explained.

Yuki's eyes lit with pleasure. He had special ordered the handmade piece of furniture throught the trading post a couple months ago and was thrilled that it was done. The lawyer was about to step from the office to check the craftsmanship when a loud string of curses issued from his back room along with a large quantity of smoke.

"Don't destroy my home!" yelled Yukihito as he rushed back towards the source of the disturbance.

Ready to help if needed, Kyoko followed the lawyer into the kitchen where a rather large grease fire was threatening to light the rest of the room aflame. Across the room, Ren fumbled with a pail filled with water. Yashiro squealed in a thoroughly undignified manner but it was Kyoko who yelled at the tall, handsome cowboy who was about to make a fatal error.

"STOP!" she roared as she pushed past the lawyer and grabbed the bucket from the dark-haired man's hand just before he attempted to douse the flaming stove top. The cowboy froze at the authoritative tone in the young kid's voice.

Kyoko pulled the bucket of water from Ren's hands and tossed the water across the tablecloth on the table instead. She then yanked the dampened cloth off the table and flung it over the flames. As soon as the cloth was over the dampened flames, Kyoko ordered the window opened. Ren obeyed and Kyoko followed with the still dangerous pan. Carefully, she dropped the pan out the window before racing from the room only to appear outside the window a moment later. She began tossing handfuls of dirt onto the entire pan until the flames where suffocated.

Leaving the mess in the alleyway, Kyoko reentered the kitchen. She gently scolded the older man about never throwing water on a grease fire while she automatically proceeded to cleaning the mess. The two older men just stared at the calm youth as she righted the plates and cutlery she scattered on the floor when she grabbed the tablecloth.

"Sorry about your supper," she stated as the last of the mess was placed in on the table. The teen banked the fire in the stove to lower the temperature. Kyoko then carefully scrapped the residue from the cook-stove top while her audience stared in disbelief.

"Thank you," stammered Yukihito when he finally regained his breath.

"No problem," Kyoko replied gamely. "If there is one thing I know, it's how to work in a kitchen."

Without a thought about how forward her behavior was, Kyoko took inventory of the remaining supplies in the kitchen and started assembling the items needed for a simple meal. The teen explained why throwing water on a grease fire would be so dangerous as she chopped some slightly withered vegetables into a pot. Ingredients flew into the pot in a flurry and in no time at all, the hasty stew was simmering. It filled the room with a more pleasant aroma then the smell of burned meat.

"Perhaps we should see about my desk?" the lawyer finally asked once his heart rate had finally returned to normal.

Instantly apologizing that she had forgotten all about the delivery, Kyoko hoped that she had not offended the young men.

Both the cowboy and the lawyer assured her that they appreciated her knowledge on handling their little fire issue. Kyoko couldn't help but snort in much the same way her brother would have done at the way the two grown men where glossing over their near miss with destroying Mr. Yashiro's home. The disregard of impending doom was obviously a common trait in the strong willed men Kyoko knew in the past and she found amusement in their avoidence of the embarressing incident.

As the trio moved the desk off the wagon, the lawyer quizzed the young man on how he knew his way around a kitchen so well. Kyoko explained that keeping a small army fed would probably be easier than feeding her father.

After seeing the desk properly delivered, Kyoko climbed once more into the wagon seat. As she flipped the brake she held the horses for a moment as two cowboys approached the law office. Recognizing the youth from two nights ago from their stop in Shade Tree, Lory called a friendly greeting to the youth. Kyoko waved to them with an unmasked expression of shock. She then nudged the horses towards home.

"So what were you two doing with our interesting kid?" Lory demanded of Yukihito and Ren as he slid from his horse and stared at the wagon slowly moving down the street.

"Your interesting kid?" Ren replied with a quirked brow.

"Yup, met him a couple days past. He got in a fight defending a weaker kid. Quite the knight errant if you ask me," the older cowhand explained. "What was he doing here?"

"Delivering a desk," replied Ren tightly.

"Yeah, delivering a desk and saving Ren from burning down my house," added Yuki with an evil grin aimed at his friend. Lory's boisterous laughter over the ensuing tale did little to sooth Ren's wounded pride. As the four friends sat in the lawyer's kitchen and finished every last delicious drop of the hastily prepared stew Kyoko left behind her, Lory could not help but laugh again and repeated what an interesting kid had come to town.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: yes, it's true... Ren and Kuon are separate people... remember, it is AU *evil grin* and this way we get twice the hunks to imagine. Also, Deche means quiet or silent in Shoshoni. I can't imagine a better fitting name for the mysterious man known only as 'Sebastian'. Also, I will refer to Deche as an Indian and not a native American. If this bothers folk, I apologize but a Western novel just doesn't seem like the place for political correctness. - Me**


	4. The Cook

Ren Tsuruga leaned his long forearms against the top rail of his large horse corral. His dark eyes detailed the progress of the Ishibashis as they worked smoothly together in a concentrated attempt to gain the trust of one of the newest additions to his ranch. The palomino colt had been a swap along with a bunch of new tack from Hiroaki Ogata in exchange for adding his cattle to the next drive.

Ren always enjoyed watching the three cousins interact. They could be a hilarious combination when the situation allowed for it, but at other times, like now, they displayed an incredible intensity for their tasks. Currently, the young men were taking turns approaching the slightly skittish colt and offering it soft pets and comforting words. It might be an unconventional approach, but Ren respected the time and effort the Ishibashis always dedicated to their work. By the time the colt was strong enough to be ridden, it would trust all three young men. The young rancher definitely preferred the cousin's method for breaking a horse. They used trust not force. It was the reason he hired them in the first place. They were worth the full time pay. They approached all their tasks with pride and dedication and their friendly banter was always a great distraction for a mind over-run with worries.

Ren always hired extra hands when it was drive time, but he maintained a six man crew for the ranch all year long. Two of his other full time hires joined him along the fence. Both older cowboys pushed back their hats to better watch the Ishibashis at work.

"Kijima and Kurosake are making themselves at home in the bunk house," Lory stated casually as he too leaned his forearms on the rail. The older man's weathered face reflected a deep concern that had nothing to do with his comment. It was more attributed to what he did not say.

Ren sighed.

"So Smitty hasn't shown up yet," he correctly expressed in interpretation of the missing information in the older cowboy's comment.

"Ain't seen hide nor hair of him."

Ren glanced at Deche who shook his head once.

The ranch owner was in a bind. Smitty was his normal cook on the spring cattle drive. The man was a crotchety old cuss, but he had the ability to keep them all fed which was not a skill in which Ren or his employees were well versed. When home, Ren relied on Lory's son to keep them alive. Kouki might not be the best cook, but he at least saved the Dark Moon ranch residents from starving or from eating nothing but dried beef jerky and cold beans every day. He watched the ranch when Ren and the regular hands were gone. Ren normally left a single ranch hand behind to help.

Despite the time he spent at the ranch, Kouki wasn't an employee. He lived at the ranch with his daughter Maria, but his real job was manager of the local bank.

Kouki's family situation was the opposite of Ren and his father, and the opposing parallel struck a chord in the rancher. While Ren had grown up yearning for the outdoors while stuck in a tiny office or classroom, Kouki had grown up yearning for an office and a reason to wear a suit while forced to muck horse stalls and chase cattle.

Ren shook his head as he silently decided that if he ever succeeded in finding a wife that could stand his work habits that he would allow any kids they had to do whatever they wanted and he would move heaven and earth to ensure that they had the opportunity to do so. The rancher grinned. He had just given himself yet another incentive for maintaining his long work hours. Giving his future children the world would require a lot more money. Although money had never been a motivating factor in his life choices, hard work would be the only means of ensuring his imagined kids' wishes coming true. He chuckled at himself as he realized that spending all his time working would be counter-productive in finding the wife needed for said imaginary children.

"I'd make a lousy dad anyway," Ren muttered to himself as he pushed away from the fence rail. He had enough lazing in the sun watching others work. He needed to start checking equipment for the cattle drive. Ren's thoughts shifted once more to concern over his lost cook as he set to work.

* * *

><p>"Mystery solved," stated Yukihito as he joined Ren before church on Sunday morning. The young lawyer was flawlessly attired in his Sunday best suit that also doubled as his best court clothes.<p>

"Smitty?" Ren questioned simply since his still missing cook was the only real mystery he could recall at the moment.

Yashiro glanced pointedly at the adorable little blond clinging tightly to his best friend's Sunday trousers. Understanding the look, Ren patted the bouncy curls.

"Maria, can you go pester your grandfather for a few minutes. I think he just cornered that poor new kid working at Millers. Maybe you could go save him?"

Maria made a disgusted face. The eight year old had no interest in boys. Truth be told, she loathed them. They were rude and picked on her at school. Her grandfather insisted they did it because they liked her, but Maria didn't believe him. Her relative thought everything had to do with love. The young girl had come to accept it as a weird quirk of her grandfather. Personally, Maria never liked having her hair dipped in ink or her lunch stolen. Granted, the lunch stealing had stopped when she loaded her lunch pails with all manner of creepy crawlers and set it where the normal culprits would find it easily. Hio and his buddies had been freaked when they found the bug trick instead of a tasty treat.

Her general opinion of school-aged males made her disinclined to want to even acknowledge the opposite sex let alone save one from the clutches of her grandfather. On the other hand, the young Takarada sported an over-sized dose of hero worship for the tall rancher who made the request. Since the love for crush outweighed the loathing, Maria hugged Ren's leg once more before dejectedly heading towards her grandiose grandfather who had indeed trapped poor Kyoko.

Ren and Yashiro watched Maria's progress out of earshot before the lawyer offered his explanation. It turned out that the missing cook had a good reason for being missing. He was dead. Yukihito had defended the man accused of shooting him on Friday afternoon when the circuit judge arrived in Masonville. Smitty had been accused of cheating in a poker game which in turn led to a bar brawl and his subsequent shooting.

"So what are you gonna do?" the lawyer inquired with a worried look. The team had originally planned to leave tomorrow to start driving the cattle from the Dark Moon ranch, the Uesugi's Clashing Blades ranch as well as the smaller rancher's contributions. A number of locals relied on the large combined drive that the two largest ranches in the area completed in order to get their cattle to the railhead in Kansas. Residents like Ogata who did not have enough cattle to warrant their own drives paid or traded for the cowboys from Dark Moon and Clashing Blades to move their investments. It was a mutually beneficial agreement that served to firmly endear the ranchers to the rest of the town.

"I guess we can try to fend for ourselves for the first leg of the trip and see if we can hire a cook on near Ft. Griffin," Ren speculated although he feared that solution. There was no guarantee that they could find someone he would be willing to hire. He also wasn't sure they would survive long enough to reach the town if he or the Ishibashis were forced to cook. It would also mean having men who were already working long, hard hours to work even more just to eat.

"Or..." Yashiro prompted as he nodded his head towards Lory and Maria who were now working together to cause the Millers' delivery boy some manner of distress.

Ren's eyes widened slightly.

"You're kidding, right?" he counters. "He's just a kid."

"He's older then Hio and you're taking him along."

"Hio's just wrangling the ramuda," argued Ren.

Yashiro rolled his eyes at his friend who he knew was just arguing because he did not think of it himself. The rancher noticed his friend's rude eye gesture and his dark eyes narrowed.

"Hio's under his dad's protection. I don't have time to babysit a green kid on the trail."

Yuki snorted.

"So have Lory watch him."

Ren shuddered.

"That's just cruel," the handsome man replied. "Poor kid'll arrive in Dodge City dressed in pink and spouting nonsense about sharing love with the world."

The lawyer coughed to cover his desire to laugh at the all too imaginable image.

"Ah, just foist him on the Ishibashis. They'll make great big brothers."

Accepting the inevitable, Ren sighed in a long suffering manner before heading towards his new prospective employee.

"Somehow, I know this is gonna bite me in the rear," he muttered when a strange sense of foreboding squeezed his heart momentarily.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Have you ever noticed that when someone wants to say something nasty, they never log into the site for their review? Is it just me that finds this ridiculous? Grow a pair people... if you want to say something rude, then say it in a manner that can offer the chance for a rebuttal (or even *gasp* apology if the complaint has merit). Don't be a coward. If what you have to say is worth saying then claim it. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Also, for some insight into me... Big ego? yeah... had it most if not all of my life and writing on fanfiction is not about to increase or decrease it. I am a true egoist (yes, I meant egoist, not egotist, although I have been called that too) and honestly, very few who know me well would consider me a "nice" person. Cynical, yes... snide, yes... slightly sadistic, oh yeah... down right antisocial, definitely... nice, not so much. Now I would have put this rant in my little drabble exercise but honestly, I didn't feel like screwing up my word count which is part of the point of the thing so here it is... heck, I might even put this in my next innocent whispers entry 'cause, well, it soothes my desire to do bodily harm to the next coward who comes my way**** *deep breath*. There all better... - Me**


	5. Preparations

Ren glanced across the yard from his comfortable seat under the shadow of his front porch. Evening was slowly creeping across the valley although the Dark Moon ranch was far from quiet and serene. Across the grass lined yard, a rowdy spectacle was unfolding. Since they were leaving on the drive soon, the Ishibashis were desperately trying to catch their stupid pet and to place it in the coop with the other chickens.

Bo, the biggest, most ridiculous chicken that any of the ranch residents had ever encountered was effectively thwarting their attempts. All three cowboys were racing around the yard in hopes of catching or at least herding the stubborn fowl into the safety of the chicken run. The feathered rooster who normally slept in the bunk house and roamed freely around the place wanted nothing to do with the lowly chicken coop. Ren swore that the stupid bird thought it was a human. Personally, he was tempted to pull his revolver and shoot the darn thing, but he knew that would break the Ishibashis' hearts.

Ren chuckled as he watched the chicken race across the open area while once more escaping the grasps of Shinichi and Yuusei. The two younger cousins collided with each other and dropped heavily to the ground. Bo stopped its flight as if to taunt the hapless cowboys. The bird then flapped across the yard and landed in the lap of the newly hired cook. Although startled at first, the boy quickly started petting the annoying bird. As if the kid had magic fingers, Bo instantly settled. It sat on Kuon's lap and allowed the boy to smooth its ruffled feathers. If it had been cat, it would have been purring. Instead, Bo was making the softest sound the foul fowl had ever made. It was a strange mix of cluck and coo.

The unguarded pleasure on Kuon's face at the antics of the chicken and the Ishibashis startled the rancher for a moment. He shook his head. Mr. Miller was right. The kid would need watched carefully. He seemed entirely too innocent. From his speech, Ren could tell that the kid was well educated, and his accent definitely marked him as an Easterner. The rancher wondered how the kid ended up in Trails End with no family or friends to watch over him. Granted, Ren had come west at fifteen, but he had been significantly more developed and far less innocent.

"Who shot your horse?" Lory questioned as he dropped onto one of the wooden benches on the porch. The older cowboy recognized the frown on his friend's face. Something was definitely bothering him.

"You worried about pushing the drive date back?" Lory prompted.

Ren shook his head.

"Nah, we'll need the extra time to gather the supplies that Smitty would have purchased last week. The Uesugis don't mind starting Thursday instead of tomorrow."

"So if it ain't the delay, what's got you all wound up?"

"I think I made a mistake," replied Ren.

"You're kidding me?" countered Lory as he rubbed his stomach. "The kid fed us the best supper I had since my wife died. Heck, it might be the best meal I ever had."

Ren contemplated the incredible meal that Kuon had slapped together just a while ago. Even if he didn't eat near what the rest of the hands did, it had been incredible. It was almost fine restaurant quality. Meal time had never been much of a production at the Dark Moon ranch but it had almost seemed like a party with all the delicious food. Everyone's spirits had been high and not a drop of the meal remained at the end.

"It's not the cooking that has me worried," Ren admitted. "It's just that something is off with that kid."

Lory smiled. He too found the kid fascinating, but he still hadn't put his finger on why exactly.

"There's nothing wrong with that boy," Lory defended which made Ren sigh.

"Yeah, it's not that he's not a good kid. It's just that he doesn't seem to feel right. You know?"

Lory pushed back his battered Stetson and raised a brow. Ren shrugged.

"I don't know. It's just strange. For instance, when I went to the Millers' to pick him up, he had almost nothing to pack. Just a pair of Sunday trousers, two shirts and an over-sized, worn nightshirt. He didn't even have a hat."

"So? He must have come from a poor family," responded Lory. For some folks in the West, having a change of clothes was a luxury.

"You would think that, but his only other possession was a new Model 3 Smith and Wesson."

Lory whistled.

"Nice gun."

"Yeah. It's a lawman's gun. Accurate and reliable but a bit expensive. Certainly not something a poor kid would be toting."

"So did you ask him where he got it?" Lory inquired as his gaze settled on the young kid who had passed the now sedate chicken to the oldest Ishibashi, Hikaru, and was now listening raptly to a rollicking adventure story being exaggerated by Shinichi.

Ren said "Yeah, he told me his friend Sho gave it to him as a gift. It was part of a matching pair."

"Who's Sho?"

"No clue. Kuon clammed up tighter then a miserly man's purse strings. On top of that, I don't think he knows the first thing about firearms. He held the thing like it was a precious crystal heirloom and nothing like the tool it should be. The kid certainly handles a flaming frying pan with more confidence than that gun."

"Well, it seems you hired an enigma, Ren," teased Lory. "But look at it this way. You got a couple months to figure him out."

Ren glanced at the youth who was now perched precariously on the top of his horse corral fence and happily rubbing faces with his favorite stallion while the kid's newly acquired big brothers introduced him to the rest of the ranch's horse stock. Somehow, the rancher feared that it would take more than a couple months to understand Kuon. For some reason, Ren suspected it would be a lifelong process. Shaking his head, the rancher tumbled the thought from his mind. Why would he want to spend so much time contemplating a kid anyway?

* * *

><p>Dawn was just kissing the sky with a hint of color when Ren rolled to the side of his large bed. It was his one luxury that the rancher purchased for his house. With his long limbs, the man would never fit comfortably in a standard bed. He had custom ordered the thing from the same carpenter who made Yuki's new desk and paid a local woman to create a feather tick and sheets to fit the monstrous piece of furniture. Ren pulled on a pair of clean jeans and a clean shirt and shuffled down the hallway towards the kitchen. This time of the morning was normally still quiet in the house so the rancher was surprised to hear voices in the kitchen.<p>

The dark haired man stepped into the brightly lit room and stared in awe. The room was filled to overflowing. Every employee of the Dark Moon ranch, both temporary and permanent, was crammed into the room along with Maria and her father. The young girl sat at the end of the bench closest to the stove where she could easily watch the young cook. Her eyes followed the cute boy's movements. Quick as lightening, Kuon whipped pancakes off the sizzling griddle onto waiting plates which he handed to Kouki for distribution. Hands clamored for the light, fluffy hot cakes which were scooped onto plates already laden with scrambled eggs, cured ham, and cooked apples.

"Morning boss-man," greeted Hikaru cheerfully before he shoved another delicious and perfectly spiced egg into his mouth. He swallowed and offered his seat to the late arrival. Ren told him to stay put as he shoved past their temporary resident playboy, Kajima, who was leaning against the wall with his plate in one hand and a fork in the other. The rancher side-stepped down the room to stand beside Lory who poured him a strong cup of coffee without even needing to be asked.

Without missing a beat in his mastery of the large cooking stove, Kuon grabbed a clean plate and plopped some still warm eggs, two pancakes and a slab of meat on it and handed the meal to Ren with a polite good morning. Ren stared at the plate in horror. The rancher could hear Lory snickering behind him. Glaring over his shoulder at the eccentric older man, Ren grabbed a fork and found a place along the wall. Before long, the table began to empty as the ranch hands emptied their plates.

"Finish your apples," Kuon ordered Maria as the cook claimed the now empty seat across from the blond child. The teen delicately cut a small bite of ham in an obvious display of the exact manners her mother insisted she and her brother show whenever they ate.

"Pffft," snickered Ren as he sat his only half emptied plate on the table. He thumped Kuon on the shoulder.

"You'll make someone a great wife someday," the rancher teased before stepping towards the door.

Kuon froze and blushed at the comment which caused Kouki to choke on his last bite of egg. The banker was floored by the unexpected expression on the youth's face. His dad pounded him on the back as he yelled at Ren to stop harassing the help.

"Annoying man," muttered Kuon indignantly. The disguised girl's temper flared even more when she noticed the only partially eaten meal that her new boss left on the table. She growled at the waste.

"Give him less next time," Kouki counseled sagely as he retrieved dirty plates and cutlery and shooed his daughter to her room to prepare for school. Kyoko just frowned in frustration. Between his scathing sense of humor and his horrendous eating habits, the ranch owner was not ranking high in Kyoko's esteem at the current moment.

* * *

><p>With the dishes done and the two younger Takaradas gone to town, Kyoko wandered from the kitchen into the yard. The cook meandered across the grass to the bunkhouse but found no one there. All she saw was Bo who had obviously escaped the chicken coop and was sitting proudly on Hikaru's bed. She headed to the horse barn which was empty. Glancing at the corral, Kyoko noticed that only a couple of old mares and some fillies and colts were in the fenced horse pen.<p>

Next, Kyoko wandered towards the storage barn which had one of its large doors hanging open. Inside, she heard movement. Stepping into the dim, dusty interior, Kyoko found only one person. Unfortunately, it was the one person she least wanted to find because she had yet to completely dispose of her earlier frustration at her new boss.

"Where is everyone," she inquired in a polite tone that belied her irked feelings.

"Rounding up cattle," Ren curtly replied. He wrestled another empty water barrel onto the back of an adapted wooden wagon. Kyoko stared at the converted conveyance.

"Don't just stand there," barked Ren. "This is your chuck wagon. Come get acquainted."

In rapid fire succession, Ren pointed out the various aspects of her new domain. He then watched Kyoko struggle to yoke the oxen to the chuck wagon and then guide it from the barn. Leaning back on the seat and propping his long legs on the front of the wagon, Ren relaxed as he watched the young cook struggle with controlling the stronger animals pulling the wagon. By the time they reached town, Kyoko was incredibly stiff from trying to hold herself away from the body of the large man taking up more than what she would consider his fair share of the wagon seat and from trying to lead the oxen in the direction they needed to go.

They reached the Darumaya Trading Post and negotiated the supplies for the trip. Although Kyoko had never imagined what a cattle drive entailed, she did have a realistic idea of how to keep men healthy through their food. Dried beans of various types found their way in large bags into the cart as well as dried meats, dried fruits, preserved vegetables and salted ham. Kyoko gaped at the sheer volume of coffee purchased. Kyoko convinced Ren to allow some variations to his normal order but the staples remained constant. When Kyoko staggered from the store with the final bag of sugar, John Miller settled the account with the ranch owner. Before he took the offered cash, the storekeeper grabbed Ren's wrist.

"You make sure that boy gets back here in one piece. Your word of honor," Mr. Miller roughly stated.

For a moment, Ren felt the hint of a threat behind the words. He nodded.

"I'll return Kuon just the way I got him. I promise."

Mr. Miller took the offered money and grunted in acceptance of the tall rancher's word.

* * *

><p>It was mid-afternoon when the chuck wagon rolled back onto the Dark Moon ranch. After seeing to the calm yet brutishly strong oxen under Ren's critical supervision, Kyoko found herself herded behind the house with an apple to stave off the grumbling in her stomach. She stood there in the spring sun and waited for the ranch owner to return from his quick trip inside his home. All too soon, the serious young man returned with a rifle and a shotgun in each hand.<p>

"Have you ever shot a gun?" he demanded.

Kyoko shook her head. Ren sighed and muttered a plea for patience. Kyoko glared at him.

"If looks could kill, I might be scared," snorted Ren as he placed the shotgun in Kyoko's hand. In the same rapid succession that he used that morning to identify the tools and functions in the chuck wagon, Ren ripped through the mechanics of handling a shotgun. After his quick lesson, he instructed the teen to aim and shoot at the mismateched metal can targets lined along the top of the fence. Kyoko lifted the long barreled weapon, sighted down its length as best she could, and pulled the trigger.

The gun barked sharply, and Kyoko flinched not only from the sound but also from the bruising force of the kickback where the stock rested against her slim shoulder. Ren made her reload and try again. This time he stepped behind the kid. Sighting over Kyoko's shoulder, Ren reached around her body and helped to steady the heavy weight of the weapon. Kyoko stiffened as the rancher brushed against her side and her breath caught in response to the unexpected invasion of her personal space.

"Breath, kid," Ren stated as he slightly adjusted the height of the barrel. "Now shoot."

Kyoko pulled the trigger and the force once more moved her slightly. She bumped back against Ren who was still standing against her shoulder.

"Damn, boy," Ren cussed as he felt the full effect of the teen's slight form bump into his own. "Who's your dad, Ichabod Bloody Crane?"

A roaring blush painted Kyoko's face a bright crimson as she stepped away from the rancher. She did not appreciate being compared to the gangly and superstitious character from Washington Irving's short story. No matter if she was a teen male or a female, the conotation was an insult.

"How old are you really, Kuon?"

"Fourteen, Mr. Tsuruga."

Ren stared at the boy for a long moment.

"You're the scrawniest fourteen year old I ever met," Ren countered in clear disbelief that the kid was as old as he claimed. The cowboy's hand shot out and caught Kyoko by the chin. "And you're years from needing to shave."

Kyoko's eyes narrowed, and she knocked Ren's hand from her face.

"I'm fourteen," she stated as firmly as possible.

"You are a lousy liar," Ren countered as his dark eyes glowed with his conviction.

Kyoko's chin lifted defiantly. Sparks practically flew from her eyes as she glared at the arrogant ranch owner.

"I don't care if you believe me," she firmly stated in a strong but polite tone.

"I do not like being lied to," Ren replied but then he grinned. "But I do like your guts."

The two stared at each other for a few more minutes before Ren allowed the subject to drop. Once more, he directed the teen back to her firearm lesson. Happily for the still flustered youngster, there was no more unexpected touching and no more arguing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am not sure how to make the Kyoko/Kuon thing less confusing. I am just going to go with if the writing is focused on Kyoko's thoughts and actions then I will use Kyoko and female pronouns. If I am presenting from neutral or the perspective of those who do not know her true gender, I will use Kuon and male pronouns. I hope this works because I just really have no other idea how to do it. - Me**


	6. Lessons

Kyoko eased her sore body into her loaner bunk. The stuffed tick on the bed was no comparison to the comfortable mattress the teen had at her home in Philadelphia or even the old mattress in the Miller's spare bedroom, but the respite from the rigors of the day was still a blessing. Unable to help herself, a small moan escaped from her lips as she closed her eyes. The past two days had been a furious deluge of new activities. Some were mental. Some were physical. All were taxing. Monday was spent in the company of the ranch owner. The day left a sour taste in her mouth. Although the Hizuris had taught by example to be polite and kind to those around her, Kyoko found herself hard pressed to uphold the training around her new boss. His teasing, his superior attitude, and his eating habits annoyed her more then anything or anyone she had previously encountered.

She had been thrilled to learn that today was going to be spent in the company of two other hands instead of Mr. Tsuruga. Unfortunately, the day had not fared any better. Her morning was spent practicing with both the rifle and the shotgun under the close inspection of Mr. Takarada. The flamboyant cowboy regaled the teen with enthusiastic tales of his adventures. The stories that he told had been fascinating but uncomfortable at the same time. Kyoko seriously hoped that she would not be expected to have similar adventures during her stint as a male. She would never be able to maintain her disguise in those kinds of situations.

Kyoko fixed a simple lunch for Lory and Deche and then was shuffled to the barn for a new kind of lesson. Standing in an ankle deep pile of hay, the teen was introduced to the fine art of hand to hand combat. Needless to say, she was dismal at the task. Even fully embracing the image of her brother in her mind, the youngster was not able to summon the proper desire for aggression. Lory sat on a mostly empty barrel of mixed oats and barley and offered pointers and suggestions while Deche did his best to show Kyoko the proper form for striking an opponent with her fists. Her punches lacked any real force although by the end of the day her form had vastly improved. Lory assured her that, with time, she would grow into the strength needed for an effective punch.

The strikes with her fist felt unusual for Kyoko but the grappling techniques were down right nerve wracking. The first time that the Indian grabbed her arm and levered her into the strewn hay, the teen had screamed in terror to find her slim body trapped between the cowboy's legs with his hands at her throat. The curdling scream had startled Lory so much that he fell from his barrel perch. Although Deche uttered not a single word, his eyes had narrowed ever so slightly when he caught Kyoko's flailing wrists in his large, calloused hands. He had shifted his weight ever so slightly so that his knees brushed her sides before he abruptly stood. His hands pulled the youth to her feet in one smooth motion. He stared at her in silence for a heartbeat then slowly blinked once.

"Your turn, nai'bi," he simply stated as he took her hands and placed them properly on his arm so that she could attempt the throw on him. For more then an hour, she had repeated the motion that combined shifting her weight from her hips, up her torso and into her arms until she was finally able to yank the taller, more muscled man from his feet. Kyoko suspected that the Indian allowed her to succeed only to placate her badly crushed ego.

Deche had then disappeared when Kyoko had dragged her weary and bruised body back to the kitchen to make supper. Surprisingly, Lory accompanied her into the house and made a general pest of himself through the meal preparations. He was likewise joined by his granddaughter who happily participated in the pestering. The combined interrogation by the Takaradas left Kyoko's mind reeling. She had been hard pressed to keep her answers honest to her image of Kuon with the rapid fire questions.

After dinner, Kyoko was thrilled by the distraction offered by the arrival of three generations of Uesagis. Although Kyoko had seen the family at church, she had not had a chance to speak with them.

Kotetsu Uesugi was a distinguished older man who carried himself with a quiet sense of controlled fire under his weathered face. His son, Ryuutaro, appeared to be in his mid thirties. He also carried himself with an air of restrained power and Kyoko found herself slightly awed by their presences.

At some point during the day, Lory explained that Ryuutaro and Ren choose to alternate years of acting as trail boss on the spring drive. Kyoko found it amazing that the confident and genial heir to the Dancing Blade ranch was willing to take directions from the much younger and less personable owner of the Dark Mook ranch.

Both the older Uesagis welcomed Kyoko to their acquaintance with open arms. The youngest one did not.

Kyoko had been thrilled when she heard that Hio Uesagi, who was twelve, would be riding on the drive. The real young man would be in charge of the ramuda, the stock of extra horse that the cowboys would need throughout the day to ensure their ability to properly herd the cattle. Fresh horses where a necessity for safe cattle driving. She figured that having another even younger boy in attendance would take some of the stress from her position. When Hio was introduced, the girl had grinned happily and offered her hand to the shorter but studier built boy. Hio had glanced once at the offered hand then shifted his attention to the pretty little blond who had been raptly engaging the entirely too cute older boy in conversation. Even if Lory saw love in every action, he wasn't wrong in predicting the reason for Hio's teasing of Maria. Seeing an expression that Maria normally reserved for only the owner on the Dark Moon ranch being angled towards the new cook had thrown the teen directly into Hio's rival position.

Hio tried his best to draw the attention of the young blond away from the perceived threat.

"Maria," the self-assured youth called. "Check out the new pistol my pop gave me."

The youth expertly drew the small firearm from the new leather holster the young boy wore proudly on his hip. With a casual flick of his wrist, Hio flipped the gun like a true showman and offered the shortened barreled Colt for Maria to inspect.

Kyoko watched in amazement at the smooth way the younger kid handled the revolver.

"If you think Hio is smooth, you should see his dad handle a gun," whispered Hikaru as he bumped shoulders with his new little brother. "His dad and his grandfather are the best quick draws I have ever seen. Deadly accurate."

Kyoko glanced once more to the kind older men. An expression of awe with just the hint of fear laced through it crossed her face.

"No worries, Kuon," Hikaru added with a wink and a boyish grin that made him suddenly look only a year or two older then Kyoko. "They're good guys to have at your back."

Kyoko glanced once more at Hio who was staring at her with malicious intent once more as Maria Takrada wandered back to her side. She swallowed and hoped that the oldest Ishibashi was correct. She didn't need any more complications in her life at the moment.

* * *

><p>Kyoko opened her weary eyes when she became aware of someone standing beside her bunk. Her eyes whipped to the left but a gentle hand clamped over her lips before a sound could escape. The teen followed the hand to the body shadowed in the gloom of the darkened bunkhouse. Deche pressed his free hand against his lips. Kyoko nodded in understanding. The dark skinned man removed his hand from her face then reached into his pocket. He pressed a small package into her hand.<p>

"Keep it with you at all times," Deche murmured softly as a summer breeze. "I will show you how to properly use it in places other then the kitchen, nai'bi."

In a heartbeat, the Indian slipped silently back into the darkness. Curious, Kyoko quietly unwrapped the thin packet to reveal a wickedly sharp knife in a leather sheath. The teen frowned slightly as she wondered why she warranted the gift.

* * *

><p>Wednesday morning seemed to dawn extra early for Kyoko, but she dragged her weary body from the bunkhouse to prepare breakfast for the residents of Dark Moon.<p>

Once again, the kitchen was filled to overflowing with bodies when Ren arrived. He helped himself to coffee and then found a plate with a single egg and one fluffy biscuit shoved into his hands.

"Don't waste it," muttered Kuon as he turned his attention back to cracking more eggs onto the sizzling skillet.

Ren smiled. He couldn't help himself. He really was impressed with the spunk of his new cook even if he found him woefully unprepared for life in the West.

"Hikaru," Ren called to the oldest Ishibashi who was busy shoving his fourth biscuit of the morning into his mouth.

"Huh, yeah, boss?" the ranch hand replied as he quickly as he swallowed and followed the delicious treat with a gulp of coffee.

"You're in charge of the kid today," Ren declared.

Hikaru grinned in response. A day out of the saddle would be like a miniature vacation before before the long hall which started tomorrow.

"No, I would like another day with the nai'bi," Deche stated.

The entire kitchen fell silent as every single body with the exception of Kuon froze and stared at the Indian who was casually continuing to eat his breakfast as if oblivious to the fact that he just uttered more words in a row then any but Lory had ever heard. Even Lory found himself startled by his normally tacit companion. The oldest man in the room shifted his gaze between Deche and Kuon with a thoughtful expression on his face. Ren caught Lory's gaze and quirked his eyebrow. Lory shrugged slightly which made the young rancher frown slightly in return.

"Okay, Deche," Ren agreed reluctantly. "Make sure the water barrels are filled."

Deche nodded and everyone finally found themselves released from the spell of surprise. Bodies ready for the call of the saddle clambered from the packed room.

"What's a nay-bye?" whispered Shinichi to Yuusei. The dark haired cousin shrugged.

"No clue," he replied as they readied their horses. "Must be some kind of Shoshone term for tenderfoot or something."

From behind them, Lory listened to the Ishibashis' speculating on the term. Once more, the oldest cowboy at Dark Moon frowned. He did not recognize the term either.

Takarada wracked his brain for the meaning of the word but came up with a blank. When the young Ishibashis were hired, Deche had called them each tuineppe which Lory knew was one of the ways Deche's tribe referred to boys so that did not explain the term either. A grin settled on Lory's face as he swung onto his horse. The eccentric man loved a mystery and the one surrounding the new Dark Moon cook was more interesting with each day that passed.

Across the corral, Ren swung onto his stallion also. He glanced towards the house as he too contemplated the mystery of his new cook. Shaking his head in frustration, the rancher nudged his horse into motion. Unlike his older friend, he did not enjoy mysteries.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I just want to share the following challenge with folks because AlitaBlake and I thought it would be fun. Hopefully, you will think of some scenes and share your creative skills with everyone because, really, what is better then a drunken, yummy man who is forced to do whatever you want him to do *evil grin*?**

**Drunken Ren Challenge:**

**1. It has to be Ren or Kuon, not Cain, BJ, Katsuki, or anyone of his other characters.**  
><strong>2. Someone has to be embarrassed by something Ren has done. It could be himself or someone else.<strong>  
><strong>3. You have to state the consequences of his drunken stupor in the story. No getting him drunk, kissing Kyoko and not stating what happened after.<strong>  
><strong>4. Try and keep it IC. Considering we have only seen Ren in an angry drinking binge, allowances are to be expected.<strong>


	7. Truths

Dawn had just begun to kiss the horizon the palest hint of pink as Kyoko hitched the oxen to her chuck-wagon. She had already fed all the Dark Moon personnel as well as the cowboys from the Dancing Blade ranch. Kouki kindly offered to clean-up after the meal to allow the cook to complete last moment preparations to leave.

The constant lowing of the cattle set the teen's teeth on edge. Although the sounds themselves were relatively soft, the sheer number of long horns currently milling the range near the ranch house gave the animals an impressive volume.

A general air of excitement shifted through the air. Kyoko shook her head as the Ishibashis galloped past her position. They shouted loudly as if trying to whip everyone present into an excited state of arousal. Everyone else just smiled at the three playful cousins' antics, but Kuon was easily pulled into the mayhem. As expected, Shinichi started the whole ball rolling.

"Come on Kuon!" called the young blond as he ripped his hat off his head and began waving frantically. "YEE HAW!"

Shinichi urged his dusty colored mare closer to the chuck-wagon.

"Come on. Give it a try," Shinichi coaxed.

Kuon grinned at the silly antics of the free-spirited cousins.

"Yipp-ee!" the scrawny youth yipped under pressure from the threesome.

Laughing hysterically, the Ishibashis repeated Kuon's silly call at the top of their lungs.

"Idiots," muttered Hio as he gathered the second tethering line for his equine charges and wrapped it securely around the horn of his saddle. His disgust only further grew when he saw the youngest Takarada climb the side of the chuck-wagon waving a worn, wide-brimmed hat. Grinning proudly, the diminutive blond slapped the hat onto his rival's head. Hio fought with the dark desire to pull his new gun and blast the hat from the cook's head. His eyes narrowed further when Kuon smiled at Maria. The teen thanked the little girl and gently tweaked her nose. Blushing madly, Maria scrambled from the wagon seat.

Diving without a thought of injury from the wagon, she was deftly caught by the Dark Moon owner. Ren swung the petite prize against his chest and gave her a good-bye hug. After reminding her to be good, the rancher carefully handed the little lady to her grandfather. Maria wrapped her arms around Lory's neck.

"Bring me back a present from Kansas," she whispered in his ear.

"What do you want?" the indulgent man replied.

"You all to come home safely," Maria earnestly answered.

"I promise, my pihyen," Lory stressed with another hug.

Maria giggled at the game they had been playing for as long as she can remember. She new that her grandfather had taken to calling her "my pihyen" instead of "my heart" because that was strictly for her grandmother. She loved the game though and was tickled that he continued it every time he went away from her.

"If I was really your heart, you would take me with you," she replied mildly.

Maria's reply might have matured over the years, but her grandfather's remained the same. It was the same thing he had told his wife every time he left home during all the years of their marriage. He always kept his promise to his original heart and he vowed to do the same for his granddaughter. If the War Between the States couldn't keep him from returning home, there was no way a simple spring cattle drive would make him forsake his word.

"Hold it tight for me and I will be home before you know it."

"I love you grandfather," Maria reaffirmed with one last hug.

Lory hugged her back.

"Now why don't you go say good-bye to Hio," he prompted in his ongoing campaign to encourage the youth's crush. Lory might feel his granddaughter too young for a real interest in a boy but it was never too early to start cultivating possibilities. Maria slipped from her grandfather's arms and called a hasty good-bye to Hio. As Lory turned his horse with the pressure of just his knees, he noticed Maria stick her tongue out at the young horse wrangler.

He sighed.

"Guess she is still to young," he thought as his eyes followed Maria's attention back towards the chuck-wagon.

"Hmm, although there might be potential there," he added silently as he rubbed his hands together and a grin settled on his weathered features.

"No, daga'," Deche stressed as he moved his horse into place beside Lory.

Lory ceased his fanciful thoughts. Even though his Shoshoni friend was normally the epitome of seriousness and sincerity, the old cowboy knew he was deadly serious when he addressed him as his true man's friend.

"The nai'bi is not for Maria."

Lory's eyes narrowed as he shifted his piercing gaze from the cook to his companion.

"You are gonna need to explain that some time, my friend," Lory warned as he nudged his horse forward.

* * *

><p>Kyoko halted the oxen and pulled the arm for the wagon brake. Reaching into the waxed satchel that Tsuruga presented her last evening, she compared the first hand drawn map and the dogeared military issue one. She stared at the terrain then back at the map. Nodding, she folded the papers carefully and slid them back into the waterproofed container. Climbing from the wagon, the cook rapidly unhooked the strong beasts and set them to graze along the small creek. She then set to preparing a small fire to prepare lunch for the hungry hands that were even now approaching along the horizon.<p>

Two large pots of coffee were brewed. Bread that was baked and sliced last evening was unwrapped and slabs of ham were slapped into place between slices. Once everything was on platters, Kyoko threw a towel over them to protect from insects. She pulled the thin wooden board from under her seat. She propped the wood against a wagon wheel and paced five long strides from the spot.

"thunk."

Her new knife sunk into the soft wood target. Returning to the target, the teen carefully pulled the weapon from its off center placement. Kyoko paced six strides this time and repeated the process in succession. When she reached ten strides, she stopped lengthening the distance because the throws were no longer as precise. She took only nine steps the next time and concentrated on her aim. Over and over she repeated the seemingly natural motions.

Kyoko might not be familiar with firearms or fistfights, but she has been handling cutlery since she was a small child. A knife held no fear for her in her fist. The blade felt at home in her grip and even the alteration needed to throw the weapon as opposed to wield it in close combat felt right to the teen. The girl grins. Deche gave her the perfect gift and she took his instructions to heart. She would practice daily and keep the knife within easy reach at all times.

Dust began to roll into her temporary camp. The cook scooted onto the wagon seat of the chuck-wagon so that she could better watch the arrival of the cattle and the hands driving them. Kyoko smiled as she noticed the Ishibashis near the head of the huge mass of future dinner roasts. She enjoyed watching the young cowboys shifting their more subdued yet still happy bodies along the edges of the throng. Her breath caught as a particularly ornery longhorn decided it didn't want to remain with its brethren.

Yuusei shifted his horse and slapped his rope against the side of the beast as he attempted to drive the contrary animal back towards the herd. The dark-haired cousin's horse pranced expertly to avoid the dangerous horn that the longhorn irritably tried to use to gore the annoyance. Although the saying may be to follow like sheep, cattle are herd animals and a number of the longhorns embraced their herd mentality and followed the ornery contemporary. The three cousins struggled for a moment with the shifting animals. Until a forth cowboy suddenly appeared.

Kyoko inhaled sharply and forgot to exhale as she witnessed the owner of Dark Moon ranch swoop into the situation. Her heart began to thump in her chest even louder than her earlier target practice as Ren expertly maneuvered his favorite stallion into the battle. The horse and rider moved so smoothly it was as if they were one being.

"Wow," Kyoko muttered reverently. Panting slightly as her body forced her to remember to breath, the teen stared. She was thoroughly mesmerized by the fluid movements of her boss as he far out shined her new friends despite performing the same job. The Ishibashis attacked their work as cowboys with enthusiastic energy and no small amount of skill. Even so, Ren appeared like a god among mortals. His movements were so graceful and power seemed to flow from his body and the cattle responded. For a moment, Kyoko could not help but wonder if the Dark Moon owner wasn't a reincarnated centaur.

Situation settled, Ren reclined back on his saddle. He pulled his hat from his head and ran an arm over his brow to wipe away the sweat that was threatening to interfere with his vision. With a quick shake of his head to loosen his hair, the cowboy returned his hat to its proper position. He nudged his horse forward and approached the midday meal camp.

"Not bad, Kuon," the rancher called to the cook as he slid from his horse. He patted his four legged friend affectionately. "I think you might have parked your wagon exactly on the X on your map."

A huge blush rushed up Kyoko's face as she realized she was still staring at her boss. Confused at her still rapidly beating heart, Kyoko frowned.

"I told you I can read a map," she snapped with a bit more bite in her tone then she really intended. She felt so strange that she just wasn't sure how to react properly.

"Think Kuon," she silently reminded herself as she concentrated on how she thought her brother would respond in this situation. Her heart rate almost immediately calmed and a soft smile caressed her lips as she imagined her handsome older brother teaching her how to navigate. He used to make treasure maps for her to follow, and the girl had enjoyed the silly game.

Ren pulled his saddle from his horse's back and glanced at the strangely silent cook. For a moment, the rancher was startled by the unguarded expression on the delicate teen's face. A flash of heat washed over his body.

"What the hell?" he swore in confusion.

He blinked and the smile was gone from Kuon's face.

"I better not be getting ill," muttered Ren as he shook his head. Ren prided himself on his physical health and getting sick on the trail would be quite a blow to his ego.

Tossing aside his tack and giving his horse a quick rub-down, Ren watched for the others to meander into the camp. The cowboys would eat lunch in shifts then start driving the cattle again. Kuon would be expected to clean up their lunch then get his wagon moving once more and press on until he reached the evening campsite. He would then need to prepare supper. All meals were consumed in shifts because some of the hands were needed to keep the cattle together at all times. The cowboys would even split the dead of the night into two shifts so that man and beast could sleep safely. Ren had sat with the new cook last evening and reviewed the time table for the drive. The rancher covered everything he could about driving cattle. He explained Kuon's duties in detail. Kyoko had listened raptly while feeling sure that she could handle whatever came her way.

By the end of the second week on the trial, Kyoko possessed a number of new truths and none of them involved being in control of her situation.

The first fact was that by the end of the cattle drive that she would need to sleep for at least a solid week to compensate for all the rest she was missing. The demonic trail boss set a pace for fifteen to twenty miles a day and although the rest of the cowboys worked in shifts, the cook always seemed to be moving the all important chuck-wagon to the next campsite or seemed to be preparing food. Kyoko was lucky if she was able to snatch four hours of sleep a night.

By the sixth night, Kuon was so exhausted that even the lively company of the Ishibashis could not keep him conscious. He nodded off in the middle of his meal of pork and beans. As Kuon's head fell forward, he dropped his metal plate and spilled food on his pants and boots. Hikaru had saved the youth from landing on his face by catching his forehead in his work roughened hand.

"Come on, Kuon," the young cowboy teased as he righted the dozing kid. "Our company isn't that boring."

Blushing madly in embarrassment, the cook apologized profusely. The three cousins took his reaction in stride.

"No worries, man," Yuusei encouraged as he handed the obviously tired teen his neckerchief to wipe up his lap.

"Yeah. We aren't too offended," chimed in Shinichi. "We're just gonna be scarred for life. Forever desolate in the knowledge that we can't even entertain a tender-footed kid."

The joker sighed in an exaggerated manner.

"Leave the kid alone," softly ordered the trail boss as he stalked behind the foursome. "Kuon, go to bed. The Ishibashis will clean up for you tonight."

Kuon had attempted to argue, but he was overruled by the unbending rancher.

Such was the way with all Kyoko's interactions with her handsome boss. The more she saw of him, the more she became aware of the second truth in her life. Ren Tsuruga was a god on a horse but a demon in the dirt. The man was slowly invading all parts of her life. When she was driving her wagon, her eyes seemed drawn to his form as he cut and wove his horse through the dusty terrain. The teen would find herself watching him when she really should be paying attention to the oxen pulling her cart. Luckily, the beasts were pretty docile and sure-footed which kept her from tipping the chuck-wagon on its side on a couple occasions when she was particularly distracted.

When she wasn't watching the cowboy, she found herself thinking about him. The cook became obsessed with tempting the man with the appetite in polar opposite of her adopted father. Despite her meager supplies, the teen tried her absolute best to coax the cowboy into a second helping of anything besides coffee. Even though she did not yet succeed, the rest of the cowpunchers certainly were enjoying the attempts.

To make matters worse, the teen found herself unable to dismiss the rancher even when her mind wasn't centered on his prowess at work or his diminutive appetite. Each meal, Ren always seemed to have his break at the same time the cook settled for her sustenance. He watched his new cook as if constantly judging her skills and he teased the teen more fiercely then Sho or the real Kuon ever did. While the Ishibashis were content to entertain her with their childhood antic stories, Ren worked hard to draw any scrap of detail about Kuon's background. Although the trail boss had yet to glean any real information from the teen, he was making her stressed with all the questions.

In addition, Ren's eyes were not the only ones that always seemed centered on the cook. Hio still refused to do anything but glare at Kuon when in his company. Lory continued to contemplate the mystery that was the teen, and Deche made his presence obvious every night when he rolled his bedroll close to the chuck-wagon instead of finding a more quiet retreat for rest.

All the attention cemented Kyoko's final truth permanently in her mind. It was ridiculously difficult to hide ones gender when on a cattle drive. Cowboys changed clothes, cowboys went to the bathroom, and cowboys thought nothing of sharing stories that Kyoko was positive would not even be appropriate to discuss with another man in a lounge of a brothel. Kijima was by far the worst for the ribald tales but everyone besides Deche and Hio seemed to have a few of them. Even Lory's tales of his times in the military were much more graphic than the teen ever imagined. Even more than escaping the blush inducing topics of conversations, Kyoko desperately wished for a bath. Driving cattle was a sweaty, dusty, and grueling job and overseeing the chuck-wagon was no different. Kyoko's clothes were itchy with dust and she shuddered to realize how horrid she must smell. Everything smelled of cattle, horses, old coffee, and sweat and she did not enjoy it. Unfortunately, she was not able to strip and skinny-dip in the creek like the Ishibashis had already done twice.

The second time Shinichi tried to drag Kyoko to join them in the water, she was not able to claim cooking as an excuse because the meal had already been completed and even packed away. Kyoko's secret would surely have been uncovered if Deche had not intervened on her behalf. The Indian had simply pulled the cook from the blond cowboy's grasp.

"The nai'bi needs to practice," Deche stated quietly as he escorted Kuon back to the chuck-wagon where the teen demonstrated her improvement with handling her knife.

Ren and Lory sat by the fire drinking coffee and watching the exchange. Ren frowned. For some reason, he did not like the way Deche was treating Kuon. Something about it bothered him, but he could not put his finger on it. The rancher's dark eyes narrowed. He did not like this feeling. It was confusing and uncomfortable. Dumping his half-filled dark beverage into the fire, Ren abruptly stood and stomped into the darkness. He found his horse and gave it some extra attention and praise. The rancher felt the stress seep from his body as he concentrated on the familiar feel of horseflesh.

"What is wrong with me lately," he mutters to his four-legged friend.

From the darkness where Lory followed his younger friend, the old cowboy rubbed his slowly growing beard. His eyes shifted between his two friends. One was silently assisting the Kuon with his knife practice and the other was consoling himself through the soothing repetition of physical activity.

"There's something there," he muttered to himself as he decided that it was time to put more effort into discovering just what that something was.


	8. Hope

"Can I help?" Lory Takarada inquired as he leaned into the interior of the chuck-wagon.

Kuon attempted to stand and turn from his position under one of the heavy-duty shelves that lined the inside of the cooking wagon. His head connected with the underside of the shelf resulting in a quick return to his position on all fours. Lory snorted at the childish exclamation that flew from his lips as Kuon properly moved from under the obstacle and sat with his legs crossed. The cook absently rubbed the back of his head.

"What was that, Mr. Takarada?" the youth asked when the pain receded enough to think properly.

Once again the cowboy snorted.

"I wanted to know if I could help."

Kuon glanced at his small slip of paper and nub of charcoal then at the supplies that he had been inventorying.

"Thanks for offering, sir, but I am just about done."

Lory hoisted himself onto the back of the open wagon anyway. He settled comfortably on the wooden planking of the wagon. His heavy leather boots swung in the air like a child's legs on a swing.

"You know, I told you that you can call me Lory," the older cowboy once again stressed.

"Oh, no, sir. I can't do that. It wouldn't be proper."

The older man's lip protruded and tears lined his dark eyes in a good impersonation of his granddaughter when pouting.

"You call Deche by his given name," argued the slightly offended ranch hand. His eyes shifted back to a pleading expression.

"Well, yeah, I don't have much choice," admitted Kuon as he nervously twined his fingers together. "I don't know his family name."

Begrudgingly, the older cowboy had to agree with the cook's argument. After all, his friend didn't have a family name. He tried countering that Kuon called the Ishibashis by their first names.

"Mr. Tsuruga told them to be my big brothers and brothers call each other by their first name," replied Kuon easily as he started marking the last couple of inventory items on his list.

"You have brothers?" Lory inquired casually in an attempt to cover his ever growing desire to learn about the intriguing cook. It was bordering on an obsession on his part but at least it afforded him something new to consider.

Without really thinking about the question since he was preoccupied with his task, Kuon replied honestly.

"Just my older brother, Kuon."

"So who's Sho?" Lory asked.

"Sho's who... I..." Kuon suddenly blushed fiercely. A look of pure panic entered the cook's golden eyes which Lory recognized even in the dimness of the covered chuck-wagon.

Kuon quickly scrambled to his feet.

"I need to get this list to Mr. Tsuruga," the teen insisted as he brushed past the old cowpuncher and jumped from the wagon.

"So if Kuon is the older brother, what is your name, son?" wondered Lory as his eyes followed the slight youth. Despite the little insight, the older man now had even more of a mystery to contemplate.

Kuon stomped across the lunch time camp attempting to catch sight of the elusive trail boss. The ranch owner had called for a partial day of rest tomorrow. They would be approaching one of the larger towns before heading into the more wild portion of the drive. Kuon would be in charge of restocking anything the chuck-wagon needed before the heart of the drive. After resupplying, he would be afforded the rest of the day as a break. Everyone was in charge of their own food tomorrow.

Instead of the tall, handsome rancher, the cook unfortunately met with the only cowboy he seemed unable to charm with good food or kind manner.

"You are such a suck-up, green-horn," taunted the twelve year old who was angry to see the young cook speaking with Maria's grandfather. "You better enjoy your trip this year because next year when my dad's in charge you're so fired."

Tired of trying to appease Hio and form any type of even grudging friendship, Kuon glared at the younger boy.

"You are a jealous, petty brat and you have no concept of how to properly respect others," Kuon hissed in response.

"I respect who deserves it," stated Hio as he planted his feet arrogantly and crossed his arms across his chest. "You don't deserve it."

Stealing a mannerism from his last conversation, Kuon snorted.

"Maria is never gonna like a spoiled jerk who thinks that guns and dipping hair in ink are ways to impress a girl."

Kuon spun and tried to storm across the grass. He didn't get very far before Hio grabbed his arm and ripped the less muscled yet taller youth back to face him.

"Like you know anything about girls," taunted Hio. "I bet if a girl kissed you, your wimpy heart would give out."

"HIO!" Kuon cried as the younger kid smirked at him.

Without a thought, Kuon pulled his knife and flung it towards the arrogant kid.

"What the hell!" Hio screamed as he flinched away from the spiraling knife. In anger, Hio's hand went for his gun but he didn't have a chance to draw before Kuon grabbed his arm and yanked him hard. The youth landed on the ground almost six feet away. Scrambling from the dirt, Hio screamed threats at the cook as he fumbled his gun loose. Although normally smooth with his pistol, Hio's anger made his motions jerky. As he swung the gun up to aim at the cook's chest, a voice barked across the camp.

"Put that away, son!" ordered Ryuutaro as he stomped across the camp.

From the other direction, Lory, Deche and Ren approached at a run.

Hio turned frustrated eyes to his father. His breathing raged raggedly and his face was flushed with wrath. His hand was shaking with the desire to fire.

"He threw his friggin knife at me!" accused the young horse wrangler.

Suddenly, everyone flinched as Lory's gun barked. Dirt kicked from the ground as all eyes turned to the eldest Takarada.

"He wasn't aiming for you," Lory stated succinctly as he reached to the ground and retrieved Kuon's knife before kicking forward the heavy body of the three foot, brown and gray, diamond backed rattler.

"Good aim," Lory stated as he patted Kuon on his slightly shaking shoulder.

Unable to really respond as the adrenaline rush faded, Kuon just swallowed and nodded his head. The cook stared blankly as Deche grabbed the thick bodied snake with her knife wound in the back of what was left of its head and carried it away. Kuon seemed to rediscover his wandering mind in time to accept the older Uesegi's thanks for protecting his son. Hio frowned through the entire exchange but muttered his own thanks before running away to check the horses. With a tip of his hat as added thanks, his father followed him.

Remembering his original mission, Kuon handed the inventory list to the trail boss. Ren smiled warmly at the youth as he offered his own congratulations.

"Well, I couldn't exactly just let it bite him now could I?" Kuon replied to the compliment as his cheeks flushed red once more.

The trail boss chuckled as his large hand settled on Kuon's thin shoulder.

"You did well, Ichibod Junior," he teased lightly with a smile and a friendly squeeze on the cook's shoulder.

Kuon's golden eyes rose to meet Ren's dark ones. For a heartbeat, they held the shared look before they both seemed to catch themselves. Blushing even more wildly, Kuon scurried back to his chuck-wagon. Ren frowned as he stared for a moment at the hand which had only seconds before touched the youth. Dismissing the slightly awkward moment from his mind, Ren stalked back to his horse and swung into the saddle. Lory watched him go before he too sought his horse to return from his break. Settling into his leather saddle and adjusting his rope, Lory glanced one last time towards the chuck-wagon.

Kuon was paused in his packing preparations. The youth stared after the Dark Moon rancher and Lory wondered about the unguarded expression on the teen's face. For a moment, the cowboy wondered if it was an expression of hero worship or if it was something else entirely.

"You're in for a world of hurt, boy, if it's anything else," sighed Lory as he shook his head at his new observation.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hikaru," Kuon called as the young cowboy finished the last of his ham and biscuit sandwich. With his brown eyes full of brotherly affection, the cowboy grinned and joined the cook who was scrapping clean his huge cast iron frying pan. He called to his cousins that he would catch up soon. The young man squatted beside the cook.<p>

"What'cha need, kiddo," Hikaru asked as he too grabbed a pot and and started cleaning.

"Um, I need a bath."

Hikaru glanced in confusion at the cook.

"Well, I ain't washing your back," the cowboy firmly stated with a mischievous and teasing smile.

"That isn't what I need," countered Kuon with a mock frown. Over the past weeks, the youth had become quite close with all three Ishibashis and he was well aware of their inability to not tease him like a little sibling. Although the same comment from anyone else would have resulted in Kyoko emerging slightly, Kuon took the friendly teasing from his appointed older brother in stride.

"I was hoping to find a place in town that would have a bath. You know. A real one. With hot water and privacy."

Hikaru pushed back his hat and set aside his now clean pot.

"If you have enough cash, River Bend has a couple boarding houses and inns so you might be able to buy a bath at one. It would take some fancy talking to convince the owners but if anyone can fancy talk, it's you. Likely as not, your best bet would be Mollie's though."

"Mollie's?"

Hikaru cleared his throat and the slightest hint of a blush touched his sun darkened skin.

"Yeah. Mollie's Social Hall has a bathhouse."

Kuon's face lit with pleasure and Hikaru smiled in response. The oldest Ishibashi always felt great when Kuon smiled at him. The young cowboy figured that the kid had the same aura going for him that a happy horse possessed. Both made him feel more content than anything else he had ever encountered. Hikaru found himself enjoying time with the new cook just as much as the time with his horses. Not one to worry about the heavier meaning, the brown haired young cowboy just embraced the pleasure of Kuon's company.

"A bit will get you a private bath and for two they'll make sure your clothes are cleaned too."

Hikaru stood and brushed the back of his pants and adjusted his hat again.

"If you wait until tonight, you could go with 'Nichi, Yuusei and me. We got the luck of the draw and pulled the evening break. Kijima was practically crying. He's on break this morning instead."

Kuon assured Hikaru that he would be fine by himself so the cowboy gave the youth directions. The cook wondered briefly at the advice that he'll want to bring a dollar to ensure a choice in his after bath activities. He wasn't really sure what activities Hikaru meant but he brought all his money anyway.

A few hours later after restocking his chuck-wagon and returning it to camp, Kuon hitched to a post the tawny mare Hio shared with him for his trip back to town. Kuon was tickled that the young horse wrangler had handed over the horse without any protest. The cook had figured he would be refused the loan and would be forced to walk the couple miles into town. After a few steps down the wide, busy street, Kuon turned into the alley beside the Full House Saloon. The youth stopped at the end of the alley as he stared at the entrance to Mollie's Social Hall.

Holding his clothes tight against his body, the youth took a deep breath. He dropped all his concentration into his posture and expression so that he looked the part of Kuon to the best of his ability.

"Well, hi there sweetie," called a middle-aged woman in a long, dark skirt and a white blouse that reminded Kyoko of something the Hizuri's housekeeper would wear. The older woman stepped forward and placed her hand on the young man's arm. "How can I help you today, young sir?"

Stuttering and clutching his change of clothes that the youth had washed last night, Kuon admitted that he needed a bath.

"Of course you do," assured the older woman with a pat on his arm before turning towards the back of the hallway.

"Girl!" she yelled. "I got a customer who needs a bath."

The older woman then wandered back into the dim room from which she exited earlier. Nervously, Kuon waited for the aforementioned girl to arrive. When she did, the youth was struck dumb. The cook stared in obvious admiration at the dark-haired beauty who purposefully strode into the hallway. The young woman could not be much older then Kyoko's real age. She was dressed in a faded blue skirt and a pale yellow blouse with two noticeable patches on the sleeves. Her hair was braided much like Kyoko used to wear her hair. Noticing that the braid fell most of the way down her back just like her braid used to do, the young girl felt a pang of regret that her own locks were gone.

"You're as pretty as my mom," Kuon complimented the bath attendant.

The attractive girl rolled her eyes and made a rude comment about mama's boys.

"Come on," snapped the teen and annoyance flashed in the young woman's dark eyes.

Quickly, Kuon followed the girl down the hallway, through a room that appeared to be a kitchen and into another dark hallway. This one had three doors. The leader pushed open the first door and motioned Kuon into the room. The youth stepped into the small room. Two stools, a small cupboard, and a medium sized wooden tub where the only things in the room. A couple pegs were hammered into the wall for the occupants to hang their clothes.

Kuon hung his clean clothes on the pegs before sitting on the nearest stool and wrestling off his first leather boot. While he fought with the second one, the young woman walked into the room carrying two huge buckets of water. She dumped the steaming water into the tub. Four more trips and the tub was half filled and so the girl brought a couple more buckets of cold water to add to the recently boiling water in the tub. With the temperature acceptable and the wooden tub filled properly, the young girl turned her attention to the young boy still sitting in his pants and shirt.

"Ain't you getting in?"

Kuon nodded.

"Yeah, I just wanted to wait for you to be done."

"Well, I'm done," the girl replied as she moved to the cupboard and removed some soap, two towels and a wash cloth. She sat the articles on the second stool and looked once more at the kid.

"Well?" she prompted.

"Um, thank you," he stammered.

"God save me from kids," muttered the girl softly as she put her hands on her hips.

"Get in the tub," she ordered.

Kuon's eyes revealed Kyoko's panic.

"Look kid, I'm just the bath attendant," she explained. "I am not gonna do anything to you. It's just my job to help you with your bath. Nothing else."

Kuon sighed slightly.

"I don't need help. I just need privacy."

Now the girl sighed.

"Look kid..."

"Kuon. My name's Kuon."

"Mine's Kanae," the girl replied automatically. Startled that she gave the kid her name, the bath attendant frowned.

"Look Kuon," the girl replied as she rolled her eyes. "I'm the bath attendant. The only way I am getting paid is if I attend to you in your bath. Just get in the tub. If it will make you feel better, I will turn around."

Kuon stared at the pretty woman for a few minutes while his bath water slowly cooled.

"I can't Kanae. I can't get undressed with you here."

Kanae whipped around and grabbed the kid. With a shove, the girl pushed the reluctant kid into the water.

"There. Now you're in the tub and you did not have to take your clothes off."

Koun sputtered in the water. Unable to help herself, Kyoko began to laugh. Watching the joy on the kid's face, Kanae joined. Kyoko sighed. He glanced down at his soaked shirt and pants. He was thankful his boots were off when he met with the tub. He doubted they would dry in time for riding home.

"Can you keep a secret?" Kuon asked as he contemplated the chances of Kanae telling anyone on the cattle drive about her secret.

Kanae shrugged.

"Yeah, I can keep a secret. Who am I gonna tell?"

Although not a true soiled dove, Kanae was not a very popular person in town. She was one of over a dozen, poor Kotonami offspring stumbling through existence the best she could. She refused to work as a true prostitute, but the bath attendant position was the only work she could find. River's Bend didn't boast a lot of employment choices. There were even fewer opportunities for girls who were forced to quit school in order to take care of her annoying siblings when her parents were off scheming big and generally wasting their lives on smoke screen dreams. The pretty young woman had a number of marriage prospects before starting work at Mollie's but she wanted nothing to do with marriage and the inevitable children that would have followed.

"You can't tell anyone, promise?"

"Tell them what?" Kanae countered.

"My real name is Kyoko," stated the young woman with a sheepish grin as she pulled off her shirt and started unwrapping her chest binding.

Kanae gaped at the petite boy disrobing in the tub and transforming into a pixie-like girl about her own age.

"You're... You're... You..."

Kyoko bit her lower lip nervously as she confirmed verbally that she really was a girl before slipping down her pants. She wrung the water from her pants before settling into the tub. A soft sigh escaped the teen's lips as she rose from dousing her shorn hair. Her golden eyes slid shut as she enjoyed the bliss of being immersed in warm water for the first time since she left Sho. Her eyes flew open in surprise when soft hands moved into her hair. Kanae lathered her short locks. Dirt and debris from weeks on the trail loosened to fall into the tub. Flinging suds off her hands and onto the floor, Kanae retreated to the kitchen. She then returned with a bucket of clean water for Kyoko to use to rinse her hair.

In hushed voices, Kyoko shared her entire amazing tale with the bath attendant. For the first time in her life, Kyoko found herself wanting to share things with another girl. Fleetingly, she mourned that she would not be able to nurture this budding friendship into anything permanent.

"I can't believe you have everyone fooled," Kanae muttered in amazement. Now that Kyoko was out of her boyish garb, she couldn't imagine that she ever thought the teen was a male. For some strange reason, the bath attendant felt drawn to the young girl in the tub. She found herself talking about her childhood and the bitter disappointments she faced. When she adamantly insisted that there had to be more to life then marrying some idiot and birthing a half dozen brats before she gets old and decrepit, Kyoko's eyes reflected a similar fire.

"Most of my life I planned to do nothing but marry Shotaro. I thought my life would be perfect with him. I was beyond wrong. I now know that I am meant for more."

Kyoko stepped from the water and grabbed a towel.

"If you want it, you can be meant for more too. You just have to decide what it is that you want."

After binding herself in a clean wrapping, Kyoko donned her clean clothes. She pulled free her crumpled wad of savings from her dirty pant's pocket. Dividing the money in half, the young woman held part of it towards the bath attendant.

Kanae's eyes narrowed. Her pride rankled at the offer.

"I don't need your charity," she firmly stated.

Kyoko tilted her head slightly and a tender smile kissed her lips.

"It's not charity. It's a loan. My dad's a business man. He insists that every successful venture needs capitol to get the project off the ground."

Kanae glared at Kyoko's small, outstretched hand. She shifted back to her eyes. Dark probed gold. The smallest lift on the edge of one side of Kanae's lips marked her decision.

"It's a loan," she reiterated with a firm nod.

* * *

><p>"Any luck, Shoko?" the haggard blond inquired of the beautiful woman who seated herself at the table in the pitiful excuse of a hotel restaurant where they had been staying for the past two nights.<p>

"Sorry, Sho," the older woman replied as she brushed the hair from the young man's eyes. Concern over the handsome young man who was not sleeping properly lately was evident in her eyes.

"Okay, guess tomorrow we'll take the stage out of town."

Unable to resist the charming young man's request, Shoko nodded indulgently.

* * *

><p>The ornate door swung open and feet stomped the cold spring mud from expensive leather boots. As if powered by an unseen force, the young man's blue eyes fell on the dirty, ragged envelope on the ornate credenza in the entryway. With suddenly shaking hands, the young man grasped the abused piece of stationary before he tore into the tiny bit of hope from the other side of the country. It was the first bit of light in the dismal house in ages.<p> 


	9. Crossings

"Dad, it will be okay. I will bring her home," promised Kuon in his best attempt at a placating tone. The tall, handsome blond patted his father's broad shoulder in sympathetic understanding. All three of them had been a mess since the night Kyoko had slipped into the darkness as she followed the spoiled Fuwa heir on his ill conceived plan to escape his responsibilities. As the twenty-one year old attempted to console his emotional father, Kuon could not help but contemplate the pain he was going to inflict upon the useless kid who stole his most precious person from him. A true darkness flitted through the blond's aura, but he stomped the desire under the weighty constraint of his immediate predicament. The young man was currently attempting to keep his father from running West after his wayward daughter without regard to his business or responsibilities. Kuon was in a position where he could go but his dad could not. His work at the university could be put on hold. Kuu's business would suffer with his absence.

"Dad..." Kuon called once more as he interrupted Kuu's rambling about cross country trains, threats against Shotaro and saving Kyoko from the obvious doom she was currently suffering.

Kuu fell silent and just stared at his son. The pain in the older Hizuri's eyes was staggering. Kuu had always been a youthful man but the past few months had been taking a toll on him physically. Too little sleep, too much stress, and no hope of good news had worn the sparkle from his expressive face. Kyoko might not have been his biological daughter, but he loved her just as fiercely as he did his true son. Her absence was slowly but surely destroying the demonstrative man.

Choked by the raw emotion on his father's face, Kuon lowered his eyes and could not help but reach for his dad. He grasped the shoulders of his now slightly shorter father and did something he had not done since a child. As a kid, his father would swing him into his arms, and Kuon would lean his forehead against his parent's forehead so that he could tell him how much he loved him. This time, the young man had to lean down slightly, and his father stilled as their foreheads bumped. Nostalgia gripped them both for a moment.

"Dad, I WILL bring Kyoko home safe. I promise. I love you, dad, and I can make this better. Trust me. You do your job, and I will do mine."

Kuu stepped back from his son. Light blue eyes met darker blue eyes. Both sets were rimmed slightly with moisture, but both men ignored the threatening tears. For a moment they were silent as they shared a unity of purpose, understanding and affection that had been missing for the past couple of years in their relationship.

"Make sure Mom understands where I went and tell her that I am sorry that I could not wait for her to return before I left."

Kuu nodded. He hated to see his son leaving but he knew it was the best solution. His wife would be angry that she did not have a chance to say good-bye to Kuon, but she would understand. She wanted her daughter back just as much as Kuu did. In fact, she was currently on a trip to visit the Fuwas who were residing in Richmond while checking on their hotel. She had hoped the Fuwas would have heard from their undisciplined son. That was why she was not in Pennsylvania when the letter from Kyoko arrived. She would have to be understanding. As Kuon grabbed his travel bag and stepped onto the train, Kuu clenched his fists. At least he really hoped Juli would understand because if she didn't, he was in for a long couple of weeks.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Mr. Kijima. I think you should be good to get back to rotation today," Kuon expressed as he took the now empty cup which had previously held willow bark tea from the recovering cowboy. For the past two days, the ill man had been an additional companion in the almost overflowing chuck-wagon.<p>

The first day of his illness, Hidehito Kijima had worked despite his pounding head. He had attributed it to a touch of a hang-over from his half day break from work. In the morning of the second day, the handsome womanizer had spiked a high fever and been unable to perform his duties. By the end of the second day, Kijima was unable to keep any food in his system and was unable to maintain his seat on his horse.

Although the greenhorn cook lacked the healing skills of his predecessor, Kuon did his best to make the twenty-four year old cowboy comfortable. The youth forced willow bark tea into the sick man to help relieve his fever, and he fed him only light breads, oatmeal and peppermint tea to help with his nausea. Although the sick cowboy hadn't been great company, Kuon had gotten used to having someone else in the chuck-wagon, and he would miss his presence when he started light duty in the afternoon rotation.

Kijima thanked the cook for helping him.

"I hope no one else gets ill on you," he stated before wandering still slightly lethargically towards Hio and the tethered horses.

Kuon watched him go and silently hoped the same thing.

By the next morning, Kuon was not thinking about sick cowboys. Instead, he thought about water. He wasn't considering the kind of water in his drinking barrels either. As he stood along the riverbank beside his oxen, Kuon stared at the river in front of him with apprehension. There was no bridge over the swiftly moving current. Instead, the earth dipped down in a natural ramp to the water's edge. Slightly swollen by recent spring rains, the river ran a reddish brown as it carried clay and soil down stream. Nervously, the cook waited for the long line of cattle to reach his position. Earlier that morning, Mr. Tsuruga had forced the youth to promise not to enter the river without others present. Now faced with the prospect of fording the river, Kuon had no problems with keeping his word.

The sounds of approaching cattle and cowboys drew Kuon's attention from the waterway blocking their path. Once more, the cook's eyes were drawn to the young rancher at the head of the line of cattle. The youth was so absorbed in watching Ren fluidly move through his horse-bound job that Kuon failed to notice when Deche and Lory approached his side.

"Nai'bi," whispered the younger cowboy with concern. "You must stop that."

"Huh?" Kuon replied as he turned questioning golden eyes towards the stoic older man. The teen was not aware that he had been doing anything in particular.

Because the cowboy was uncomfortable with explaining his observation and thereby exposing that he knew her secret, the Indian just patted the youth on her shoulder and shook his head faintly. He glanced at his friend Lory and wondered if he had seen the tell-tale expression on the young cook's face when she was watching the trail boss. Of course, his observant friend saw it too, but he likewise refrained from commenting.

Across the open field, Ren used his stallion to cut across the front of the mass of cattle. He expertly shifted the bovine leader from his forward movement and the cattle behind the front line slowed and stopped in a domino-like effect. The trail boss handed off lead position to Kurosake whose rough visage effectively disguised a keen mind and honorable morals. Leaving Ushio in charge of the stopped cattle, Tsuruga angled his horse towards the chuck-wagon.

"You ready to cross?" he asked in a rhetoric manner as he stilled his horse momentarily. "I'll forge across first and make sure that the way is clear for the chuck-wagon," Ren explained before squeezing his legs gently into his mount's sides. The horse waded forward into the water. As the horse moved slowly into the water, the dingy water level rose up the stallions legs. Soon, the water reached the middle of the horses body and Ren's legs were likewise submerged to mid-thigh. With gentle nudges of his legs and with his reins, the rancher directed the horse through the water seeking the safest and most shallow areas. The cowboy cataloged the rise and fall of the water level as well as felt for dangerous dips under his sure-footed horse's legs.

Once the horse and rider reached the other side, Ren patted his horse on the neck and praised it softly before sending it back into the chilling water. He retraced the best path through the water to the southern bank.

"Okay Kuon. You will follow me back across. Make sure you keep the wagon directly behind me at all times. Don't push the oxen too fast but don't allow them to stop moving either. You'll need a firm grip on the reins. Lory and Deche will ford along side the oxen to help keep them moving."

Kuon nodded in understanding and shoved his fear into the recesses of his consciousness. Lifting his chin resolutely, the youth climbed into place on the wagon seat. Neither Ren nor Kuon noticed the worried expression on Deche's face as he considered the dangers of having the young woman driving the chuck-wagon through the water.

"I can drive," volunteered Deche suddenly as Ren started his horse into the water once more. The rancher paused and looked over his shoulder. He stared first at his normally tacit ranch hand then at the decidedly nervous cook.

"What was that, Deche?"

The Indian repeated his statement.

"Kuon, do you want Deche to drive the chuck-wagon over the river?"

For a moment, the youth was tempted to allow the older man to help him. The thought of pushing the wagon into the moving water frightened the cook. Remembering that the ranch owner liked his guts, Kuon shook his head. He was not about to lose face in the eyes of the handsome cowboy who Kuon, for some as yet undiscovered reason, so desperately wanted to impress.

"I can do it, sir," Kuon assured Ren.

"Okay boy. Just keep the animals moving and it will be fine."

In silence, Lory watched the exchange. The insightful man easily recognized that the cook was just shy of terrified of crossing the river, but he also saw the youth's deep desire to please the trail boss. The weathered cowpuncher shook his head as he once more felt sorry for the young man who was obviously interested in the owner of the Dark Moon Ranch. Although a man of truly accepting spirit and a supporter of true love in all its forms, Lory still lamented the affection he noticed with increasing frequency in the young cook's eyes. He had known Ren Tsuruga for a number of years, and he was positive that the rancher would never admit to feelings for a young boy even if he was to develop them. Ren would never participate in a socially forbidden relationship of that type. He was much too conscious of his position in society. He held firm to his image with both hands and a full set of teeth.

"Poor kid," the cowboy thought once more as he seemed to gain more evidence for his current working theory on the enigma who was their new cook.

With a flick of his heavy reins, Kuon coaxed the oxen into the river to follow Ren's lead. Lory immediately moved into the water slightly up stream from the oxen to help encourage them to keep moving. On the opposite side, Deche took position downstream. The water rose slowly as the wagon progressed further into the water. Ren continued to call encouragement to keep the oxen moving while Kuon strained to keep the slow yet strong animals from bulking or wandering off the path the rancher outlined.

Suddenly, the wagon lurched as the water rose high enough to force the front wheels slightly off the riverbed floor. Frightened by the sudden loss of traction and control, Kuon wretched on the leather straps that led to the oxen. The yoked beasts were already unhappy with moving through the high water, and they responded to the jerk on the reins by freezing.

"No!" yelled Lory at the same time Ren yelled "Keep them moving!"

Too late for Kuon to respond to the warnings, the chuck-wagon came to a temporary forward halt which only lasted for a heartbeat before the impeded water on the upstream side started to build-up on the force needed to push the chuck-wagon sideways. Kuon yelped as the back of the wagon lifted and began to shift sideways. He desperately slapped the reins on the backs of the oxen who were confused and refusing to respond to the directly. Lory grasped the side of the oxen yoke and attempted to force them forward and Ren spun his horse and forced it towards the floundering wagon. Deche, more concerned with Kuon's safety then the oxen or the chuck-wagon, left his post along the side of the oxen and tried to reach the side of the wagon. The Indian's horse lost its footing in a deep spot. The horse cried as water surged up to its neck. The animal cried again when the side of the chuck-wagon slammed into the horse and rider. Both went under water for a moment. Kuon was forced to watch as the cowboy and his horse disappeared from sight momentarily.

Lory and Ren finally got the oxen moving once more, but the animals had to strain against the current and the mud that was now miring the wheels and their legs. A cry of distress from Deche's horse issued as the mount pulled itself and its rider from the deep water and up the far bank. The horse limped sluggishly and the cowboy slid from the saddle with a hand on his side. Blood ran down the horse's haunches. When Deche's feet hit the ground, his knee collapsed under his weight and Deche slid to the ground with his head against the side of his injured horse which continued to whinny in pain.

Finally wrestling the chuck-wagon into the shallows, Ren dropped his hold on the oxen and spun his horse towards his injured friend. Happy to see dry ground, the oxen make quick work of climbing the bank from the river. Not even remembering to set the brake, Kuon flew off the wagon seat in direct flight towards the injured man and horse.

Concern evident in his face, the cook skidded to a halt by the now kneeling Indian. Trembling hands tried to help Ren in ascertaining the extent of the man's injuries. Blood darkened the cowboy's shirt above his hip. Deche clutched his injured side with his opposite hand as his other arm hung useless at his side. The force of the shifting wagon had slammed the cowboy's arm out of his shoulder socket and one of the many hooks on the side of the wagon had punctured his side. Luckily, the wound did not rupture any organs.

Barely containing his fury, Ren concentrated on breathing. He pulled his large knife from his boot sheath and slit his friend's shirt to expose his injury. When a delicate set of hands moved where he wanted to check, the rancher shoved the young cook out of the way with a growl to get the medical kit. The youth immediately scampered away to retrieve the bag of first aid supplies.

Lory, who had the foresight to set the chuck-wagon's brake before heading to his friend's side, joined them. Ren shifted back on his boot heels and allowed the more experienced man to examine Deche's puncture wound on his side. When Kuon arrived with the medical kit, Ren abruptly stood. He reached out and grabbed the cook on the upper arms.

"Damn-it, I told you keep the damn wagon moving," he cursed as he shook the young man sharply. In the rancher's eyes, this accident was the young man's fault although a nagging voice in the back of his head kept telling him that he should have made Deche drive the wagon.

Kuon's eyes flew wide in fear at the anger rolling in waves from the trail boss.

"Ren, check my horse," ordered Deche gruffly in an attempt to redirect his young friend's anger from the cook. He would not sit by and allow violence against the young woman for an accident.

Disgusted, Ren dropped his hands from Kuon's body and stomped over to the injured horse to examine its wounds.

Deche's bloodstained glove landed on Lory's hands that were poking and prodding the puncture wound on his side. He hissed which drew Lory's attention to his face.

"Let the nai'bi take care of my injury," the Indian requested.

Lory contemplated the cook's shaking hands and distraught expression. He chronicled the pain-flushed face of his friend who was also shaking slightly.

"I'll leave the wound for Kuon but I will need to reset your shoulder joint. He's not gonna be strong enough to do it himself," Lory stated.

Deche nodded once. Lory directed Kuon to stand behind his friend and push gently down on his shoulders to help keep the cowboy in place. The older man then wrapped his arms around Deche's injured arm and lifted it. Lory rolled one of his gloves and offered it to the Indian who took the leather good into his mouth. Takarada then placed his leg against the side of Deche's body and yanked his arm. Deche grunted and bit down on the leather glove to help with the excruciating pain in his joint. A loud pop issued from the joint, and the Indian relaxed as the pain suddenly dissolved from stabbing agony to a growling throb. He spit his friend's glove onto the ground.

Lory retrieved the glove and frowned as he glanced across the meadow to where Ren was working diligently to sooth the injured horse. Unfortunately, the rancher was so agitated that it was causing the horse even more anxiety.

"You sure you want Kuon to do the rest?" Lory asked but was not surprised when Deche nodded slightly once. With the anguish plain on Kuon's face, it was obvious that the youth felt Deche's injury was his fault. Perhaps helping treat the injured man would aid in the cook dealing with the guilt.

Lory patted the nervous boy on his shoulder and moved towards the other injured party.

Delicate hands moved along Deche's stomach and side as Kuon probed the injury. He pulled the half empty bottle of witch hazel from the medical kit and poured it liberally on the oozing wound. Blood and astringent ran down the man's stomach to join the wet stain on the waist of Deche's jeans. Kuon flushed the site once more as Lory returned.

"It's gonna need sewn shut," he offered as he reached into the medical kit and withdrew some strong black thread and a large needle. "Let's get you someplace more comfortable, shall we?"

Lory leaned over and wrapped Deche's uninjured arm over his shoulder. Holding his belt with one hand and his arm with the other, the cowboy assisted his injured friend back from the water's edge. Kuon kept his hands putting pressure on the make-shift bandage he placed over the wound as they approached a large Emory oak tree. Lory assisted Deche to sit against the trunk before explaining that he is going for Hikaru to see if he can help Ren with the horse's injuries.

Kuon did his best to clean the wound once more before soaking the thread and the needle in the witch hazel. His hands shook as he threaded the slightly curved needle and moved his hands towards the wound. Unable to puncture the skin immediately, Kuon froze slightly. Kuon suddenly felt a hand push his hat from his head. Deche's hand shifted into his recently knife re-hacked locks and forced the boy's face up to meet his dark glance.

"You can do this nai'bi. You know how to sew, yes? Just use small stitches like you are darning socks."

Kyoko swallowed and nodded. She knew how to sew. She just never imaged that she would be sewing flesh instead of the pretty little embroideries that her mother taught her to complete. The injured Indian took a deep breath and did his best to relax as the cook began to close the wound with careful, neat stitches. A couple times, Deche could not help but flinch as the needle hit particularly tender spots but he remained silent through the entire process. Kyoko made up for his silence though as tears streamed down her cheeks and she repeated an apology every time she pierced his skin with the needle.

By the time Lory returned with Hikaru, Kyoko was placing the final stitch in place on the large wound.

"There all done," she stated gently as she once more cleaned the wound with her mild astringent. She removed a clean bandage from the medical kit and began to cover the wound.

Deche's hand once more sought the side of her face and hair.

"You did well," he praised with what was for him an affectionate expression.

Watching his friend as he approached the pair, Lory stumbled and froze. He recognized that expression on his friend's face. Deche was never a man to reveal his inner thoughts easily and the only reason Lory even saw the unsettling shift in the Indian's eyes was because he had seen the expression earlier in his life. Suddenly, the mystery became clear to the nosy cowboy.

"Nammi..." Lory muttered in shock.

Deche started at the utterance of younger sister. His dark eyes met the suddenly gleaming eyes of his older companion. In silence, they communicated an entire conversation that went unnoticed by the preoccupied youth who was carefully bandaging the cowboy's injury. Lory narrowed his eyes to convey his annoyance that his friend kept the secret from him. Deche shrugged just slightly to express that it was not his secret to tell. Lory rolled his eyes in disgust before shifting them questioningly onto the back of the young woman who was now packing the unused supplies into the medical kit. Deche frowned in disapproval at the speculation in his friends eyes. He shook his head. He did not have any romantic interest in the girl. Lory nodded.

The older cowboy actually realized his friend's affectionate intentions right away. In fact, he recognized that the expression on Deche's face was the same one he used to show when he was in the company of his true nammi. The Indian's baby sister had been a beautiful and spirited child who brought joy where ever she went. She had the exuberant love of life that her older brother refused to show the world. When she died in a cavalry raid on her tribal home, Lory had expected his then much younger friend to abandon his path and join in the retaliatory uprising. Surprisingly, Deche had taken the lose as an internal battle to be fought instead of a physical one. Lory had watched with a sad heart as his friend withdrew even more from the world emotionally.

Lory smiled for his friend who seemed to have recaptured at least a small part of his missing self with the help of a very unique girl.

The silent exchange was interrupted by Hikaru joining them. He requested the medical supplies. Kuon handed the oldest Ishibashi the kit with hands covered with drying blood. The brown-haired young man quickly took the kit back towards Ren and the injured horse. Kuon followed his progress and a flash of pain shifted through his eyes as his gaze met with the rigid back of the trail boss.

"I need to wash my hands," Kuon muttered as he dejectedly excused himself.

Lory and Deche watched her flight.

"So, a nammi, huh?" whispered Lory conspiratorially.

Wearily, his companion shook his head in denial. "No. Not a little sister. Definitely a nai'bi."

Lory quirked his eyebrow at his cryptic friend who sighed just slightly.

"She's definitely an attractive and pretty young woman," the Indian explained. "One sure to catch your eye."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It is official... you all need to be glad that you are living now and not in the wild west for no other reason than infection control. Did you realize that even rubbing alcohol and peroxide were not available at that time? Witch Hazel was not being commercially produced until the 1870s in the East but at least it is an original Native American remedy so we can at least pretend that it can have a reasonable place in a story that is taking place in the early 1880s. Jeez, who would have thought treating a simple gaping wound would require so much time to find the properly fit history connection. Stupid me and my ridiculous desire for proper time line consistencies while trying to ensure that one of my favorite characters in this fiction doesn't die from a rampant infection *sigh* Anyway, is everyone happy now... Lory knows *evil grin* - me**


	10. Apologies

Lory Takarada sat by the fire with a tin plate in one hand and a fork in the other one. From across the campfire, he watched the trail boss push his food around his plate with even less enthusiasm than normal. The older cowboy shook his head. He could practically see the waves of anger and frustration rolling from Ren's body. His attitude permeated the entire camp and even the three Ishibashis were forced into a subdued manner under the strain. Although he knew that Ren was angry that Deche was injured, he didn't understand the level of anger being targeted at the cook. They were all to blame. They knew the kid was green and frightened but they allowed him to enter the water anyway. In fact, Lory felt they were more responsible then Kuon was. The cook was young and did not know any better. They were the adults; they were at fault. Lory sighed in frustration.

It was later in the evening then normal for the supper break because it had taken so long to wrangle the last of the cattle across the river. The sun had set, and only the barest hint of pink remained in the sky. Squinting in the darkness, Lory watched the small cook hovering near his injured friend. She pressed the Indian to eat a few more bites and drink more water as she insisted it would help him regain his strength. The longer the cook fussed over Deche, the worse the atmosphere became. Lory's eyes grew larger for a moment. He turned his head quickly to watch the trail boss while he watched the cook caring for the injured Indian. Ren's frown increased every time Kuon touched Deche. For a moment, Lory wondered if Ren was feeling just the slightest bit jealous.

Lory scratched his chin as he stretched his long legs and contemplated the situation. He watched as Kuon approached the fire and retrieved more coffee for Deche. The youth's eyes momentarily met Ren's glare. The kid shivered and hurried back to deliver the warm beverage to his injured charge. He cast a nervous glance over his shoulder to see that the trail boss' eyes and almost palpable anger were still following him. Lory continued to watch as the cook became more and more jumpy under the weight of the angry aura.

Lory grunted in disgust and shook his head. He tossed the dregs of his coffee into the fire. Unfolding from his spot by the light source, the older cowboy tossed his dirty dish into the big wash pot. The cook jumped at the noise.

"Kuon," Lory called in a firm tone that allowed for no argument. "Come for a walk with me up stream."

Anxious and unsure of what he should do, the cook glanced at the other cowboys around the fire then at Deche. Her Indian companion nodded towards the older man as if offering encouragement to go. The teen purposefully avoided looking to the trail boss for his reaction.

The cook scurried to follow the commanding older cowboy into the dimly lit night. The two walked in silence until the sounds of the camp and even the rumbling of the cattle settled to a soft background. Occasionally, a far off cry from one of the still working cowboys would quietly sound as he encouraged the cattle to stay together for the night.

After checking the ground as carefully as possible in the darkness, the cowboy lowered himself to sit in the grass along the bank of the river. Lory pulled a cigar from his pocket. With a well practiced roll of his knife, he trimmed the ends. He lit the tobacco with a match from a small metal tin in his pocket that he struck on the rough bottom of his boot. He tossed the spent stick into the flowing water.

"Sit," he ordered to the nervous cook who was shifting back and forth on her feet and nervously clasping her hands. The youth dropped to the ground beside Lory.

The small glow from the cigar cast a deeper shadow and light relief onto Lory's face.

"Alright, kid. It's time to put your cards on the table."

Kyoko shifted uncomfortably but uttered not a word.

"So Kuon is your brother's name. Care to tell me your real one?"

"I can't," stuttered Kyoko as panic filled her body.

"So you say," Lory replied evenly. "So how old are you really?"

"Fourteen, sir."

"Don't play me a fool, girl."

Kyoko gasped in horror.

"How old are you?"

Kyoko stared at her tightly clasped hands in her lap. She was unsure of what to do. If she admitted to being a girl, there was no way that Mr. Takarada would want her to stay on the trail with them. Her companion growled impatiently.

"My name is Kyoko Mogami, Mr. Takarada, but I really need you to not tell anyone. I desperately need this job, sir. I got to get home and I need the money from this drive to do it."

A true hint of desperation was evident in the young woman's voice, and Lory patted her knee gently.

"I ain't planning to tell a soul. I just want you to explain why you're here. I can't very well help you properly if I don't know the whole story. Well, that and the mystery is killing me."

"You can trust me, Miss Mogami. Neither Deche nor I will let anyone else know. It isn't our secret to tell after all."

"Deche knows too?" she whispered while cringing.

"Yeah. I suspect he's pretty much known from the beginning."

Lory explained about the term nai'bi being a Shoshone word for an eye-catching or pretty young woman. In the darkness, the old cowboy missed the innocent blush that flamed Kyoko's cheeks at the implied compliment from the term that Deche had called her for weeks. Lory shamefully admitted that he didn't originally recognize the word and that it had been driving him to distraction. The older man then prompted Kyoko to tell him her story.

Although reluctant at first, the teen finally started her halting tale with running away with Sho. By the time she reached the part where Ren offered her the job, she was rushing through the story as if happy to finally release the tension. Lory listened patiently with only an occasional smile at the tale.

"So, your only wish is to get back to you family in Philadelphia?"

Kyoko nodded.

"What will happen then?"

"What do you mean?" Kyoko questioned.

"After you return home. What will you do? Your family was grooming you to marry the young Fuwa heir, right? Will they still expect you to marry him when you return?"

"I can't marry him," the teen vehemently cried. "I will never trust him again. I loved him and he... he crushed my feelings like they were... refuse. I won't allow that again."

"So then, what will you do? Instead of going East, you could stay here. You have a place at the Dark Moon Ranch," Lory softly suggested. He didn't add that she could confess her true status and pursue her growing attraction for the trail boss. Given the girls harsh words about love, he doubted she was ready to admit to the possibility of a romance with Ren.

"I don't know. I miss my family. Father and Mother must be so angry with me for leaving and Kuon... oh, I just don't know what Kuon will say. I have hurt them so badly by wrongly placing my false feelings for Sho before their regard."

"I am sure that they will forgive you, Miss Mogami."

Lory stood and brushed the seat of his pants after tossing his stub of a cigar into the rolling water.

"Last question. Why Kuon Hizuri? When you gave us your name, where did the Hizuri come from?"

Kyoko scrambled to stand.

"It's my brother's real name. Well, to be honest, he isn't my real brother. The Hizuris took me into their home when I was really young. My mother... my real one that is, she... she didn't love me or want me or well, even take care of me and so Father took me to his home. The Hizuris never told me but I overheard the housekeeper talking once with the cook not soon after I came to live there that Father paid my mother a huge fee in exchange for me. Mother always wanted a daughter and Father insisted that I made their family perfect. My real family name is Mogami but I was always treated just like a real part of the Hizuri family."

"It sounds like you love your family very much but sometimes you grow to the point that you need to find your own place in the world. You could always visit your family. Write to them and such. If you like it here, you can stay. There are people here who can and will care about you too. You have a truly strong spirit and no fear of hard work. Those are traits that would serve you quite well here in the West. In fact, they might make you better suited here then in the East."

Kyoko brushed the back of her pants to clear them of dirt and debris.

"I like it here but I do miss Philadelphia too. I'll think about it though."

"Good girl," Lory exclaimed as he clapped the cook on her delicate shoulder. "It's always good to keep your eyes open and your options clear. You never know when a better situation may occur."

"Yeah well, anything would be better than right now," Kyoko admitted. "Mr. Tsuruga is really mad at me for messing up on the river crossing and getting Deche hurt."

"You are not alone in your blame, Miss Mogami. We all share that privileged. I know that you apologized to Deche and he forgives you. Ren is just stewing. If you want to make it better with him, you need to apologize to him. Tell him your sorry for making a bad decision and that you should have asked for help. Ren's a fair man. He will forgive you."

Lory started walking through the darkness back to the camp.

"Trust me, Kuon," he stressed.

Behind him, his slight shadow decided to do just what he suggested. After all, it couldn't make it any worse.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean the rail is blocked?" inquired the real Kuon Hizuri to the frazzled man at the ticket booth in the busy train station in St. Louis.<p>

"Well, it's not exactly blocked. We've had some rails torn up cross country before the Southern line reaches Little Rock. It'll take a few week for repairs to be completed. I am really sorry," the harried man explained for possibly the hundredth time since he arrived at work this morning. The frustrated transportation employee watched the fevered expression on his handsome and obviously rich customer's face.

"If you have time sensitive business, I would suggest that you backtrack on the Baltimore and Ohio back to Flora, Illinois then head North to Springfield. You catch a connector there heading west through Iowa and then down through Nebraska into Kansas. You can take the more northern line the whole way through Kansas but I would suggest heading down to the rail-head in Dodge City, Kansas. From Dodge City, you should be able to buy a horse and find someone to travel south with you to Texas. They'll be coming into drive time at the rail-heads. I bet there will be any number of cowboys heading back down South that for some cash would be more then happy to help you find where you need to be going. It'll be a might harder trip then going onto Little Rock and taking the stage cross country but a far cry quicker given that repairs needed on the Southern line."

The handsome blond took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his over-whelming urge to break something. Once he had control of himself ones more, the young man pulled his ticket from his pocket.

"I thank you for your suggestion. Can you trade this out for your suggested ticketing?"

"Sure," the worker replied with relief. Despite the young man's fancy clothes and classy looks, the frazzled ticket agent had been strangely afraid of the aura surrounding the young man at his window. He was glad to help him for no other reason then it guaranteed that he would not be waiting to accost him at the end of his shift in some alley in retribution for disappointing him. The new tickets are issued and the worker sighed in relief as the tall blond took his unhappy aura back towards the platform to set his new plan in motion.

* * *

><p>"Um, Mr. Tsuruga?" Kuon called as he approached the trail boss who was digging through the back of the chuck wagon which Kuon had been getting read to hitch to his oxen.<p>

"Can I help you find something?"

Ren barked a negative reply while continuing to dig through the boxes until his hand settled around one of the bottles of sarsaparilla that he knew the Ishibashis had convinced Kuon to store for them. Goal in hand, the handsome man withdrew from the chuck-wagon and closed the hitched backboards.

"Mr. Tsuruga?"

Ren turned last night's glare onto the cook which caused him to shudder. The youth stared at the dirt in misery.

"What?" the trail boss bit out with a distinct lack of patience.

"I'm sorry that I screwed up with the water crossing. I didn't know what I was doing and I should have asked for help or accepted Deche's offer to maneuver the wagon through the water. I'm sorry that my poor judgment led to Deche getting hurt and to holding up getting the cattle across the water too."

Kuon fell silent and kept his eyes on the ground. Ren took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully.

"It's okay, Kuon. You're young. Just make sure that you learn from the mistake so that it doesn't happen again," the trail boss responded evenly.

Kuon glanced up with an expression of hope on his young face.

"I will work hard to not cause any more problems," Kuon replied eagerly. "I really am sorry, sir."

Ren clasped the cook on his slender shoulder.

"You don't need to apologize twice, kid. You're forgiven. I'm not so harsh a task master that you need to keep apologizing."

Kuon smiled tentatively at the handsome, older man. Ren ruffled the youth's already messy hair before heading towards the campfire. He pulled the cork from the bottle of root beer and chugged the contents. He removed his head and wiped the sweat from his brow before dropping his hat back in place.

"Mr. Tsuruga?"

"Yes, Kuon?"

"Are you okay?"

Ren lifted on eyebrow and smirked.

"I'm fine," he assured the teen as he tossed the cook the now empty drink bottle to head towards his horse.

Kuon watched the cowboy stalk towards his horse and swing gracefully into the saddle. The cook's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the trial boss once more remove his beaten hat and swipe sweat from his forehead. Anxiety rumbled in the slender teen's stomach as he worried about his handsome boss. In the time he had known him, he had never seen Mr. Tsuruga drink anything but water and coffee so it is strange that he had guzzled from Hikaru's root beer stash. On top of that thought, the weather was crisp and clear this morning. It wasn't yet hot enough to warrant the perspiration on Ren's brow.

"I hope he isn't getting sick," muttered Kuon as he moved forward to hitch his oxen to the chuck-wagon. Climbing into the seat next to Deche who had been forbidden to sit on a horse for a few days, Kuon vowed to watch the trail boss even closer. It would be terrible if he really was ill and didn't take care of himself properly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ah, I should have had this chapter finished and up ages ago, but every time I would start looking at maps and stuff on the railroads, I would find neat new stuff to read. I have no natural resistance to history stuff. It sucks me into its spell quite easily. My stepdad is a bit of a railroad buff and now I know lots of new things to discuss with him so at least it isn't useless information. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the update despite the lateness of its arrival - me**


	11. Ill Winds

"Nai'bi," whispered her injured companion in soft warning. "You must stop that."

Kyoko's golden gaze slid from its original target to meet Deche's dark eyes.

"Stop what?" she replied in confusion even as her eyes skipped back to her previous interest.

With his usual calm in place, her companion resisted the urge to sigh. His gloved hand reached forward and gently grasped the cook's delicate chin. He shifted her face to a forward position.

"Your face mirrors your soul," Deche cryptically explained. "You complicate life with every glance."

Kyoko's brow furrowed in thought as she tried to ascertain just what the Indian was trying to explain in his diminutive speech. This time, Deche allowed the sigh to escape his lips as the cook's head and eyes once more traveled from the path of the oxen to the slowly receding image of their trail boss as he led the slow-moving sea of cattle forward. The darker skinned man shook his head. He knew that the young lady's secret will not remain so at this rate. Every time Ren was in her sights, her expressive face, although almost eerily similar to a young boy's visage most of the time, almost always developed a softness and fascination that could not be safely associated with her current situation.

Deche shifted and pressed his side slightly above his wound in hopes of relieving the low ache. Fleetingly, he considered how much he wished he was on his horse instead of relegated to cook's companion. Silently, the cowboy wished Lory was here to handle the problem currently afflicting his already overly-concerned mind. His eloquent friend was infinitely better suited for the discussion. He was the true master of love and would ultimately know how to best approach the sensitive topic.

Despite his self-perceived inadequacy, the cowboy felt a true affection for the cook and so he attempted to overcome his normal reticent personality. The taciturn Indian tried to broach the subject once more.

"Kuon," he murmured in order to draw and hold her attention once again. "Your expression reveals your emotions too easily. Your eyes shift to Ren like a thirsty horse to water. Worse, you glow."

She frowned at the strange accusation.

"Your eyes, they are the eyes of a dehainjin not a babi'. You must be a babi', a brother. Anything else is too dangerous."

An expression of horror filled Kyoko's face as she realized just what the Indian had explained. Even though she was not exactly sure what a dehainjin was, she deducted pretty successfully its ultimate meaning. Unexpectedly afraid, the cook forced her eyes to stay facing their current path. She resisted the urge to glance back at the trail boss one last time.

"I will watch my expression, Deche. Thank you for the warning," she expressed as she vowed silently to control herself better. Now was not the time for mistakes of any type. She was so close to her goal. In fact, only a few more days remained until they would reach Dodge City and the railhead. The young lady would not ruin her chances this late in the game.

Clutching her already confused and conflicted emotions more closely into her heart, the teen more firmly wrapped herself in the visage of her beloved brother, Kuon.

Her companion watched as the teen's countenance changed just slightly to better reflect the real Kuon's image instead of the more relaxed portrayal the cook had developed over the past couple weeks on the trail. Her depiction of a young male was once more perfect even though circumstances beyond her control were already conspiring to counter her efforts.

* * *

><p>The real Kuon Hizori stepped from the dusty, overheated, passenger car and into the late afternoon sun shining warmly on the hustle and bustle of the busy train platform in Dodge City, Kansas. The Easterner was surprised at the level of activity in the area. Although significantly less naive then his younger sister, the tall blond still spent a moment observing the radical differences evident between the Western railhead and his Eastern home.<p>

After looking his fill, the handsome university student strolled confidently from the platform. He paused briefly at the ticketing window to inquire about suitable lodging locations before heading into the heart of the noisy town. Kuon registered a room at one of the few hotels that was not designed to cater to the transient populous who breezed into Dodge City on the dusty heels of driven beef.

The youngest Hizuri slumped on the springy bed. A weary sigh escaped his lips as a he shifted his left arm behind his head. A slight lift on the corners of his lips accompanied his thoughts as he toyed with a private and guilty thought. The haunting contemplation was something that the handsome man had never dared to speak aloud and his breathing hitched as he slid into the familiar fantasy.

From his shirt pocket, Kuon pulled free the worn letter that Kyoko sent to Philadelphia from Trails End. He once more unfolded the precious letter and read the elegant script again even though he had memorized every line. His gaze softened as he imagined Kyoko pouring her heart into the long apology that opened the missive. Rage sparked in his blue eyes despite the repeated reading when he reached the rather sketchy details describing Kyoko's split from Shotaro. On the tails of the anger, a selfish happiness fluttered. For years, Kuon had hated the arrogant Fuwa heir. The young man rightfully believed the younger male to be spoiled and selfish. In his educated opinion, Sho was utterly unworthy of Kyoko's affection. Time had not dulled the passion with which Kuon despised Kyoko's silly childhood prince.

Kuon's tired eyes reached his favorite part of the letter and hope spread its warm tendrils through his body. Kyoko admitted in her writing that she was working at the Darumaya Trading Post and using his name. His breath caught at the thought of sharing his name with Kyoko. The young man cannot stop his reaction to Kyoko's ruse. It was so close to the guilty dream that had crept into his heart so many years ago that he could not resist.

Kuon groaned. He rested the letter on his chest and rubbed his weary eyes.

"Kyoko Hizuri," he whispered longingly to the empty room.

"Saint Jude protect me because my father is going to kill me," he lamented softly as he imagined admitting his hopes and feelings about his little sister. Kuon knew he would need the intervention of the patron saint of hopeless causes if he was ever to survive the inevitable fireworks his parents would spark upon discovery of his guilty desire for their adopted daughter.

"She's NOT my little sister," Kuon snarled to the four uncaring walls.

"Never a little sister," he whimpered as he rolled onto his side and pulled the bedspread over his head.

In the darkness of his blanket cocoon, the young man shuffled through his memories. Kuon can't remember when exactly his thoughts about Kyoko changed from the safe affection of an older brother but he suspected it started around the time he lost himself. Mired in cloying darkness, only the glow from his golden-eyed savior was able to lead him back to the light of life. The bitter and broken blond had crawled from the depth of despair. Kyoko had supported him as he found his place in the world that until that point had expected him to be a copy of his popular father. Unfortunately, when he rediscovered himself, Kuon also discovered that his feelings for the young girl who supported and loved him so unconditionally had changed so drastically.

As sleep pulled at the weary traveler's body, Kuon clutched his scattered and conflicted emotions and shoved them once more under the guise of the caring older brother. It was not time yet. He reminded himself that he was strong enough to bare this a bit longer.

"Just a little longer," he promised himself as his breathing became more shallow and he slipped into exhausted sleep.

* * *

><p>Despite her best effort to remain detached, Kyoko's eyes couldn't resist scanning the head of the drive column as the cattle once more drew even with the idle chuck wagon where the cook was finishing preparations for supper. A frown mars the counterfeit male's young face when she failed to see the trail boss at his expected position near the front of the mass of moving beasts.<p>

"Something's wrong," Kyoko stated apprehensively as the teen concentrated on picking Ren's form from the collection of cattle and other cowboys. She finally found him. Unlike normal, the rancher sat slightly hunched on his favorite horse and his movements seem slightly less sharp than normal. As the horse and rider approaches the evening camp, Kyoko noticed the extra time the cowboy took to steady himself against the side of his horse after he dismounted.

Efficiently, the cook ladled the hearty stew into bowls of the hungry crew as she continued to steal concerned glances at Ren while he slowly removed his saddle and brushed the days grime from his horse's coat. When his stallion shifted his head against the cowboy's shoulder, he affectionately rubbed its nose and leaned against the horse's neck. Finally, the rancher pulled together enough energy to walk slowly towards the cooking fire.

When Ren moved close to Kuon to retrieve his supper, the cook could feel the heat radiating from his body. Kuon placed a small serving of stew and a surprisingly fluffy biscuit in his bowl. The cook then watched at the trail boss picked with lackluster attention at his meal. When the other hands dumped their empty bowls into the wash basin, Ren sat his only half eaten dinner aside and reached for a cup of coffee.

"No coffee," the cook informed him as he handed the rancher a cup of foul smelling tea.

After one sniff, the rancher turned up his nose and tried to pass the horrid mix back to the cook.

Kuon placed his hands on his hips.

"Drink it," he ordered in the same commanding voice that compelled Maria to finish her breakfast many weeks ago.

On a normal day, Ren Tsuruga would be that last person to docilely take orders from another person, especially a little slip of a teen, but today was not a normal day. For some reason, his brain felt funny and his limbs did not seem to obey him like they normally would.

"I don't..." he tried to protest only to have the cook step into his space and actually force the cup against his lips.

"You are sick, Mr. Tsuruga. Drink it. It is good for you."

More exhausted then he ever remembered being in the past, Ren found himself unable to maintain the battle. Resigned, he gulped the cooled tea and had to fight to keep the foul drink down.

"Ugh! That was not good for me," he complained.

Kuon crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the handsome rancher.

"I never said it was good tasting. I just said it was good for you," the cook stated with a roll of his eyes. "Now, finish your meal."

Ren picked up the bowl and moved the food around aimlessly while Kuon cleaned the dishes. As the second shift of hands appeared for their meal, Ren sat aside his unfinished food once more and staggered to his feet.

"Where do you think you are going?" Kuon questioned sharply to the rancher who appeared barely able to stand.

"My job," the cowboy simply stated as he stumbled from the fire towards his horse. Reaching his destination, Ren softly greeted his horse and leaned heavily against the animal's strong shoulder. Soothing warmth radiated from the animal that helped curtail the slight shiver the rancher was experiencing now that he had moved from the warm radius of the fire.

Recovered enough from his short walk, Ren turned towards the spot where he rested his saddle after removing it earlier. Swaying slightly but refusing to acknowledge the weakness, the cowboy's hands moved to secure the worn leather. His work roughened hands encountered something soft and pliable instead of the expected tack. Ren concentrated on the strange yet pleasant sensation for a moment before his eyes focused enough to realize that his hands were resting over the delicately boned hands of his cook.

"You are a stubborn fool so you better let me help you, Mr. Tsuruga," the teen's gentle voice insisted as he grasped the saddle and swung it onto the horse's back.

Ren moved out of the way and allowed the young teen to prepare his horse and all but boost him into the saddle when it was properly secured. While Ren adjusted his seat, Kuon leaned against the horses head and whispered to it. He pleaded with the animal to protect his stupid owner for just a little while. The cook promised the horse one of his carrots and a sugar cube if it succeeded. The intelligent horse nickered as if agreeing to the promise before it followed its rider's nudging to head towards the perimeter of the cattle herd.

An hour and a half later, Kuon delivered on his promise of a carrot and a sugar cube for the deserving horse who did such an amazing job keeping his rider on its back and out of disaster.

"Good boy," the cook whispered earnestly before turning his attention to the tall man who stumbled when his feet hit the ground after dismounting. Kuon handed the horse's reins to Hio with his thanks as he grabbed their staggering boss by the belt. The teen pulled the cowboy firmly in the opposite direction the tall man was originally headed.

"Come on, Mr. Tsuruga," Kuon coaxed in an attempt to get the ill rancher to accompany him back to the chuck wagon. Ren stumbled and would have fallen to the ground if Kuon hadn't slipped under his arm and held him upright. Staggering under the weight of the older man, the cook assisted the trail boss towards the dying glow of the campfire.

The pair reached the wagon and Kuon directed the cowboy to wash. With a number of verbal prompts, Ren stripped to his undergarments and washed his body with the cool water Kuon supplied. He then dressed in the worn nightshirt the cook handed him. With little prompting, Ren collapsed into the bedroll Kuon prepared for him under the chuck wagon where the youth normally slept. The cook pressed another cup of willow bark tea down the rancher's throat before he fell into restless sleep.

* * *

><p>Momentarily confused, Ren started awake when something cold touched his face.<p>

"Shh, it's okay, Mr. Tsuruga," whispered the soothing voice of the cook as he once more wiped a cool, wet cloth across Ren's forehead. "Your fever spiked and I wanted to get you cooler so you don't bake your brains."

By the light of the small lantern, Ren watched the soft expression in the eyes of the teen caring for him so diligently. The ill young rancher smiled softly at the feathery touch on his face as the cook once again cooled his fevered skin with the wet towel that he cooled each time in a small bowl of water. With his mind fuzzy from the fever, Ren felt strangely detached from his body. The uncomfortable thoughts which have been haunting him for weeks tumble through his mind. With his normally structured and iron-fisted control crumbled under the power of his illness, the rancher found himself reaching towards the cooks illuminated face. When his calloused hand touched Kuon's cheek, the cook stiffened momentarily before he sighed and leaned into the caress. If possible, Kuon's face softened even more at the touch and Ren's breath caught in reaction. Heat rushed over his body that the rancher could not blame on his illness.

"What have you done to me, Kuon," the ill man muttered in despair as his rough hand slipped into the short hair of the teen.

Since he was unable to rise, the rancher propels Kuon towards him until their lips meet. A soft sound of protest more like the mewing from an abandoned kitten then a human escaped from Kuon's lips. Ren moaned in response to the press of Kuon's thin frame against his chest. Sudden clarity returned to his fever muddled brain though as he noticed the person he was kissing struggle against his affection. His dark eyes flew open and he suddenly pushed Kuon from the embrace.

Mutually horrified expressions rested on both their faces for just a moment.

"What the hell?" Ren cussed in confusion as he tried desperately to make sense of his recent actions. Unable to reconcile his racing thoughts with his fever induced compulsion, the cowboy snarled at the distraught cook.

"God, I hate you and your damn doe eyes. Leave me the hell alone," Ren snapped at the suddenly frightened teen who scuttled backwards into the darkness and quiet beyond the reach of the lantern light.

For a moment, Ren does nothing but try to calm his chaotic senses. A moment of clarity wormed into his fuzzy thoughts as he realized that he had no right to chase the youth away. Kuon had done nothing wrong. He was not the one who kissed the rancher. The rancher was the one who kissed the teen. Guilt sliced into his thoughts as he pictured the crushed expression on Kuon's face when he verbally attacked the innocent kid. Intent on apologizing, Ren attempted to lever himself upright. As he shifted his weight and raised himself to his elbows, a wave of nausea and a pounding splash of pain cascade over him. Darkness descended as the rancher collapsed back onto the bedroll in sleep once more while in the dark not far from the wagon, Koun leaned against a tree. Both his arms wrapped around his stomach as if trying to still the queasy rolling pain. Nothing helped relieve the cook's rioting nerves though. A soft sniffle and a shudder were all that could be heard in the quiet camp as the youth valiantly attempted to regain his sense of self and his calm. Finally successful, Kuon moved stealth-fully back to the chuck wagon before crawling inside and settling on his own bedroll. Despite his exhaustion, it was a long time before the confused teen finally fell asleep.


	12. Shots in the Dark

**A/N: This chapter is a birthday present for AlitaBlake. *laugh* I seem to be really good at giving inappropriate gifts... depressing story lines for Christmas and a bloody gun fight for a birthday. I am on a roll *evil grin*. Anyway, Happy Birthday! - jhiz**

**Oh yeah, and to all those who sent me bits of guilt... I hope that you enjoy the update too. Your requests really did help me to refocus on this. And here, I thought I was mostly immune to guilt... I guess not *smile* I hope that it is worth the wait. - me  
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* * *

><p>The Trails End cattle drive was only about two hard days unencumbered ride from Dodge City and everyone was ready for the break that was enticing them for weeks end. Tempers were shorter than normal and even the Ishibashis had begun to annoy each other. The freedom and release of responsibility as well as the vice and diversion promised a balm to their weary bodies and minds.<p>

As Kyoko washed the last of the dishes for the second supper shift, she sighed. The cook was scrapping the bottom of the barrels of her supplies and the recent meals lacked their original spark and flavor. Silently, the teen promised that the first thing she would purchase after a bath would be something sweet and freshly prepared. Her mouth practically watered at the thought of enjoying a piece of rich chocolate cake with a whipped icing. Baked chicken and fresh vegetables were also invading her thoughts.

Shoving the last of the pots and pans into the large basin for storage, she lugged the entire collection to the chuckwagon. The heavy cooking equipment which would have been a strain to even move four months in the past was quickly stored without the fake boy even losing her breath or stressing her muscles.

The cook glanced over her shoulder towards the campfire where a few cowboys including Ren relaxed before finding their bedrolls for the night. A tightness squeezed Kyoko's chest as she considered the strained exchanges she had with the trail boss the past couple days. The teen had been deeply affected by the kiss under the chuckwagon and her emotions were still in a veritable swirl. Unfortunately, the trail boss had seemed beyond annoyed with her and had seemed to erect a stiff and formal attitude between them. Kyoko missed their budding friendship. She still found herself watching him every chance she got but the watching made her chest tight. The sensation bothered her just as much as her unbridled need for the chocolate cake.

Crushing the unwanted feelings beneath her ever present exhaustion, the teen resolutely turned from the man who was occupying her thoughts and grabbed her bedroll and blanket. She crawled under the shelter of the wagon without a word and settled for the night.

In the wee hours of the morning, a sharp sound startled Kyoko awake. She rubbed her gritty eyes as she attempted to clear her groggy mind. Darkness still reigned in the region and she could not see a thing from her shelter. Strangely the cook considered that the cattle seemed to be making significantly more noise then normal in the darkness. After a few heartbeats, Kyoko recognized Mr. Kijima's voice yelling in the distance and Mr. Takarada's voice answering him. More shouting was heard and another sharp bark of a gun issued. Kyoko scrambled from her bedroll and barely contained a scream when arms grabbed her.

"Hush," Deche warned quickly as he propelled the slight teen towards the back of the chuckwagon.

Not wanting to further injure the slowly recovering cowboy, the young woman allowed herself to be herded by the concerned Indian. The older man practically shoved the teen into the back of the wagon with a sharp order to stay. More gun play sounded in the distance and Kyoko scrambled further into the perceived protection of the wooden wagon. She drew her knife and clutched it to her chest as she strained to discover what was happening in the darkness outside with just the input from her ears.

She could hear Hio cussing and scrambling to subdue the ramuda. Horses nickered in excitement and pawed impatiently at the packed earth. Deche gingerly swung himself onto the back of one of the previously tethered mounts and nudged it in the direction of the excitement. His stomach muscles protested the movement as he drew his gun with one hand and pressed the other against his injury before grabbing the horse's flapping reins. With his legs, the Indian directed his unsaddled horse to increase his speed as he circled the edge of the milling cattle. Deche and his mount streamed past Hikaru and Shinichi who were valiantly attempting to keep the very unhappy cattle in one seething mass and hopefully avoiding a stampede. More gun shots sound.

Closer to the excitement, Kijima and Takarada kept their horses moving and their guns drawn as their eyes scanned the darkness for movement from the rustlers who had hoped to skim some easy pickings from the large herd. Shots rang once again and Lory's horse lurched in a frenzy as one of the bullets embeds itself in its haunches. The stead cried and the cowboy fought to keep it from running in pain and panic.

Another shot preceded a hoarse shout as Kijima grabbed at his shoulder and cussed. Takarada randomly fired into the surrounding darkness as thundering horse hooves announced the impending arrival of others. Tsuruga and Kurasake appeared near the edge of the angrily shifting cattle.

"Don't shoot," hollered Ren just before his horse swept him into view. From the other direction, Ryuutaro galloped to join them while he too yelled the same warning.

"I took two down when they approached the cattle line," the middle Uesagi reported as his sharp eyes scanned the dimmed perimeter for more signs of the rustlers.

Hidehito swayed on his horse for a moment and Lory grabbed at him to keep him in his saddle. Faint shouts once more followed a rapid series of gun fire.

"Rifle!" shouted Ren as he spurred his horse in the direction of the shots.

"Stay with Kijima!" he ordered over his shoulder towards the oldest cowboy who was already attending to the injured hand as Ryuutaro and Ushio likewise spurred their horses to follow Ren.

As the cowboys sped into the darkness, the clouds broke and the slivered moon bathed the region in the eerie blue of pale moonlight. Shadows became discernible and movement could be picked up by eyes which had been straining to pick up anything in the previous blackness. A riderless horse that none of the drivers recognized galloped into view. The panicked animal veered from the cowboys' path. It turned towards the relatively calm cattle in this area and cut sharply at the impenetrable wall of beef. The riderless mount brushed against the edges of the beasts. After weeks of being herded by horses, the large animals responded to the implied prompt of the movement. They started moving in the direction of the horse's flight.

"Kurosake, get them rounded," Ren shouted as he spurred his horse forward towards the still galloping, riderless horse. Ushio slowed from the trio and moved towards the shambling cattle. He needed to contain the shifting cattle before they worked themselves into a stampede. The few losses to rustlers would be nothing compared to possible dangers, damages, and cattle loss in a stampede. Important task assigned, Kurosake was left behind to deal with the sea of moving meat.

Ren finally reached the reins of the frenzied horse. Yanking sharply, he dragged the horse away from the herd of cattle before slowing slightly. The change in speed along with the directions on its reins helped the horse regain some manner of calm.

The moon plunged behind the clouds and again Ryuutaro and Ren were once more rendered night-blind. Weapons still drawn and squinting into the dark, the two noticed a number of dark forms in front of them. Slowing, Ren pulled his horse to a stop. He dropped the reins of the second horse and quickly dismounted beside the downed form of one of his ranch horses. In the somewhat protected shelter behind the dead animal's body, Deche knelt over the still form of one of the Ishibashis.

"I think he hit his head when the horse went down," the Indian offered in explanation as his hands continued to slide over Yuusie's inert body as he checked for possible injuries. Deche had already found a large lump on the back of the younger man's head which was tacky with blood but it did not feel like a gunshot wound. In the dark, it was hard to tell much about the injury, but Yuusei's shallow breathing indicated that it was a head trauma and not a bullet wound.

From behind Deche, a rifle shot sounded followed by a rapid series of smaller gun shots.

Deche's eyes widened to the point that Ren and Ryuutaro could plainly see the whites in his darkened face.

"Camp," he whispered with anguish clearly in his voice. The Indian's thoughts immediate flew to the young woman he had tucked into the chuckwagon thinking she would be safe there.

"HIO!" the young boy's father yelled as he swung back onto his horse and immediately spurred it into action.

"Stay!" yelled Ren as Deche moved to stand. The trail boss slung himself back into the saddle and urged his weary horse into motion also. Uesegi was already swallowed by the darkness as Ren plunged after him.

Driving his horse almost viciously, Ryuutaro whipped past Hikaru and Shinichi who had abandoned their places along the cattle line and were likewise heading towards camp. With the strength and speed of his favorite mount, Ren pulled even with the younger cowboys then pulled ahead as he trailed the desperate father towards the heart of their camp. The sharp staccato of repeated gun fire spurred all four to force even more speed from their exhausted mounts.

Meanwhile, at the camp, Hio had finally collected and calmed the extra horses under his care when he heard the thunder of hooves approaching. Drawing his weapon, the youth trained it in the direction of the rapidly approaching riders. Sweat ran down his back and his palms became damp as he resisted the urge to shoot blindly into the dark. Smartly, the young man positioned himself so that he was crouched in the shadow of the ramuda and so that his body was not back lit by the softly glowing coals of the dying camp fire. Once more the moon broke from the mostly cloudy sky and lent its mellow rays to the gloom.

"Damn it," Hio cussed as he failed to recognize any of the quickly approaching riders. There was no way the bandanna covered faces of the incoming cowboys were any of his friends. Faster than he had ever fired before this, the young man squeezed the trigger and sent forth a rapid succession of bullets. One ripped into the chest of the lead rider. He dropped limply from his horse. Another shot connected with the foreleg of one of the horses. The injured mount stumbled and cried in pain. It's rider was already aiming at the pint-sized shooter so Hio was lucky his shot made the mount stumble which in turn threw off his opponent's aim. As other bullets whizzed in his direction, Hio scrambled into the milling horses for the momentary protection. Hio might have taken his job to protect and care for the extra horses seriously but his own life trumped theirs. He stealthily shifted through the warm horse flesh walls.

One of the tethered horses squealed in pain and dropped to the ground behind the small, scampering kid. Badly shaken but still moving purposefully, Hio dodged from the suddenly frenzied midst of horses and cut back and forth towards the chuck wagon. His breath whined from his body as he shifted direction again. With his adrenaline rush, he barely noticed the suddenly burning sensation that flared on his upper shoulder as he changed his path. From the back of the chuck wagon, a figure rose with the long barrel of Mr. Tsuruga's Anson & Deeley boxlock shotgun in its grasp. The gun barked and one of the riders screamed as he pitched forward against the neck of his horse. His gun fell from his instantly useless right hand as blood gushed from the gaping wound on his shoulder that destroyed the connecting nerves with his still barely attached lower arm.

Instead of cracking open the gun and reloading, Kuon dropped the shotgun and replaced it on his shoulder with the loaded rifle that hung inside the chuck wagon. As Hio slid under the relative safety of the wagon, four horses thundered past the wagon. Biting his lip, the cook pulled the trigger then dropped to the floorboards as shots clamored and peppered against the sides of his mobile domain. In the teen's desperate bid to protect himself, he missed seeing a second rider drop from his horse as the barely aimed shot amazingly found a soft and deadly mark.

From his spot under the wagon, Hio desperately tried to reload his weapon with his shaking hands. Fumbling the bullets from his belt, the youngster scrambled backwards when a bullet kicked up the dirt right beside his foot. Finally getting his hands and fingers to obey him enough to allow him to reload, Hio tentatively moved towards the front of the wagon. Calming his breathing, the youth squeezed two more round after the retreating rustlers. One of his well aimed shots dropped another fleeing rider and the other just barely missed another.

As the thunder of the retreating rustlers' horses died in the distance, the steady beat of more horses' hooves could be heard in the direction of their original arrival. Hio scrambled to the back of the chuck wagon and once more trained his Colt on the approaching sounds.

"Kuon, reload the shotgun and rifle," Hio ordered when he failed to hear the cook moving to guard with him. The youth frowned and glanced over his shoulder when he noticed that Kuon was not following his forceful and highly appropriate recommendation.

The frenzied horses were practically on top of him when Hio realized that lead rider was his father. The trail boss was close behind him and slowed his horse from its deadly pace as soon as he realized that the rustlers where gone from the camp already.

"DAD!" the kid yelled in obvious relief as he started forward.

Overwhelmed by the emotion of seeing his son safe, Ryuutaro violently yanked his horse to a stop and was already out of the saddle before the beast had ceased moving. The older Uesagi threw himself onto the ground and wrapped his son in his arms. From his knees, the rancher was practically eye level with his son. Both son and father shook in their shared embrace for a moment. Jumbled words about his actions started spilling from Hio's lips.

"I got one at the start but had to hide in the horses and I think one of them is hurt bad or dead and then they chased me down and Kuon took one out with the shotgun but he didn't kill him just mangled his shooting arm," gushed Hio as he pulled back from his dad's grasp. The boy raised his chin proudly.

"Kuon got that one with the rifle," Hio added as he waved his arm towards the dead man a few yards from the chuck wagon. Wanting his dad to be proud of him, the teen continued. "I got another one then when they were hightailing it out of camp."

"Good job, son," Ryuutaro stated although he was just thrilled that his son was alive. He grabbed him once more to hug him. This time, Hio yelped and pulled away. He grabbed for his shoulder as the adrenaline high left him and he became aware of the strange burning and pain in his shoulder. His dad yelled for more light and Hikaru immediately set to building up the dying campfire while Shinichi moved to the fire in order to light some of the lanterns.

"Where's Kuon?" demanded Ren as his eyes tried to pierce the gloom in search of the cook.

"Chuck wagon," Hio replied as he winced when his dad pulled off his shirt to reveal a glancing gash where a bullet had grazed the youth's shoulder.

"Your mother is going to kill me," Ryuutaro lamented as he pressed part of Hio's shirt onto the mildly bleeding wound. Hio grinned at the wholly realistic announcement about his mother reacting to her precious son being shot while in his father's care. The Uesagi males may be deadly with firearms but Hio's normally placid mother had a cuttingly sharp tongue when riled up about her offspring. His father will be woefully sorry when he had to confess to his wife.

"Kuon?" called Ren while the older Uesagi cared for his son. The trail boss approached the chuck wagon. As he neared the wagon, he heard the soft sound of hitched breathing and a quiet sob.

"Koun?" the trail boss called once more with a voice suddenly laced with worry as he lowered the back of the wagon to reveal the huddled form of the cook.

"Come on Kuon, it's safe to come out now," he coaxed as he reached towards the dark and shadowed form of the cook balled in what he thought was fear in the back of the wagon. After hearing HIo's exited and rambling explanation, the trail boss was proud of the green youth's handling of the rustlers but he also understood the gut-wrenching fear that could come after the emergency was finally over.

Reaching into the wagon to pull out the youth, Ren suddenly cussed a long string of explicatives that had the other four cowboys staring at him. He withdrew his wet hand and stared in disbelief at the dark, warm stain. Barking an order for light that rivaled Ryuutaro's previous call, Ren crawled into the back of the cook's vehicle. Shinichi brought one of the lit lanterns and placed it in the interior of the wagon and beside the kneeling trail boss.

"Oh man," the blond muttered as the light changed the dark stains on the cook's pant leg and shirt from black to red.

"See if you can find Lory," snarled Ren at the shocked Ishibashi who dropped back from the wagon and spun on his heel to search out the closest thing to a medical professional they had on the drive.

Pain filled tears trailed down Kuon's cheeks and soft sobs continued to escape from his lips as Ren yanked at his shirt which was changing to red at a faster rate than his pants. Using the blood as an indicator of which wound was more severe, Ren set to work. Pulling his knife from his belt, the trail boss sheared the shirt from the cook's slight frame. With a frown, he also cut through an unexpected second layer of material under the sturdy work shirt. The binding succumbed to the sharp edge and fell free.

Ren's eyes widened.

"Bloody hell," he whispered as his dark eyes made contact with the suddenly frightened gaze of the young woman. Her lip quivered and more tears leaked from her golden eyes as she sobbed and turned her head away from the dumb-struck expression of her boss.

"Damn it!" he cussed as he shook the shock from his mind and focused on the bloody task at hand.


	13. Light of Day

With hands stained red from the wound under the right side of the cook's newly exposed breasts, Ren firmly pressed the sheared material from the teen's shirt over the seeping bullet hole. His jaw was clenched in frustration as well as determination to not scathingly demand what the young woman had been thinking when she passed herself off as a young man. Ren's pride stung at the trick she has successfully pulled on him. To make matters worse, weeks of nagging urges and foreign desires suddenly welled up inside him. If his fingers had not been working to keep the young woman's essence from escaping her body, he would have been sorely tempted to smack himself in the forehead.

"Hold this," Ren ordered gruffly as he demanded that the girl hold the ripped shirt bandage against the punctured skin under her chest so that he could check her leg injury.

Briefly, Kyoko's shaking hand brushed the trail boss' slightly tacky fingers as she settled her smaller palm over the make-shift bandage.

Shifting his attention to the second wound, Ren used his knife once more to clear the clothing covering her injury. With efficient movements that belied his fuming anger, the rancher cut away the cook's pant leg to reveal her injured thigh. The thigh wound was only bleeding slightly because the bullet had only penetrated about half of its length into her flesh. For a moment, Ren debated whether he should remove the imbedded bullet or leave it in place until Lory arrived. Worried that the wound would bleed a lot worse if he removed the deadly projectile from her leg, he just left the seemingly lesser wound alone and returned his attention to the still slightly bleeding wound on her torso.

Ren brushed aside the girl's delicate hand with his work roughed one to take over the task of apply pressure to the seeping wound. Lifting her hand from her injury, the young woman moved her arm slightly so that her arm was now modestly covering her exposed breasts. Ren's dark eyes shifted and made contact with the cook's golden glance. In the dim light, he could see the flush of discomfort and embarrassment evident on the teen's face. His own expression softened slightly in pity and his own nagging embarrassment. He cleared his throat and offered what encouragement he could.

"You'll be okay," he gruffly informed the injured teen although internally he was panicking over the injuries she sustained. A single wound for a healthy man on the trail could be dangerous and she sustained two. Silently, Ren prayed that the bullet in her chest did not damage any organs or else no amount of interventions on his or Lory's part were going to help.

From outside the chuck wagon, Lory Takarada's voice called in concern. He thumped his fist against the wooden backboard as if it was an ajar door.

"Shinichi told me Kuon got hit," he stated as he attempted to see past the trail boss' large frame that was blocking his view of the injured cook. Ren just glanced over his shoulder once but did not move. He confirmed Kuon's injury without removing his hand from the pressure he was applying to her bandage.

"Sun'll be up soon," Lory announced. "Why don't we pull the cook out of the wagon. The light will help."

"I don't think so," Ren snarled over his shoulder.

"Ren, we can't treat Kuon in the wagon. There isn't enough room or light to work properly," calmly countered Lory.

"No. Kuon stays in the wagon," Tsuruga firmly stated as he shifted sideways so that Lory could see Kuon's body.

"Ah," Lory muttered in understanding as his eyes swept over the exposed skin of the delicate cook.

The older gentleman hefted himself onto the back of the wagon and shimmied into the remaining tight space. Ren shifted as much as his large frame would allow to give his friend as much space as possible. Reaching to the shelf above his head, Lory pulled the medical box from its normal home. He moved the lantern forward so that he could see as well as possible in the dim interior of the covered wagon.

"Well, Miss Mogami," Lory murmured as he poured some water from the drinking barrel onto his hands in a bid to remove the remnants of Kijima's blood. "You certainly did a number on yourself."

Ren's head snapped around until he was glaring intently at the older cowboy. A sudden flash of anger washed through his system as he realized that the man he trusted knew about the cook but didn't share the vital information with him.

"You've got this?" Ren ground out between his teeth as he lifted his blood stained hands from the impromptu bandage.

"Sure," Lory replied automatically without even pausing in his examination of Kyoko's injuries.

Ren climbed over the cook's prone body in fluid movement towards the front of the wagon. He intended to ease his body over the front seat and escape the interior of the wagon before he completely lost control of his temper. A hiss followed by a moan from the cook stilled his flight.

"Wait, Ren," Lory demanded. "I need you to stay."

Lory's fingers once more investigated the flesh near Kyoko's wound. Kyoko took a deep breath and moaned louder. Her small body shuddered from the pressure of Lory's probing fingers. She attempted to breath deeply to help abide the agony flaming in her chest. She gasped.

"It hurts to breath," she whispered as she worked hard to keep from sobbing at the pain in her chest when she took the deep breath.

"I know, little missy," Lory soothed as he pinned Ren with a demanding look. Even in the dim light, Lory recognized Ren's wild flash as fear and anger warred within his mind.

"I need to remove the bullet. I need you to hold her still."

Ren swallowed and nodded. The anger, fear and frustration slid behind his practiced mask as he reached towards the injured cook. Ren placed his hands on Kyoko's shoulders and pressed her firmly into the wooden floorboards.

"Sorry about this," Lory stated as he extracted his knife from its sheath on his belt.

Kyoko's eyes widened as she watched the large knife travel towards her flesh. Deftly, Lory used the sharpened tip of the knife to slit the skin and thin muscle about a finger length from the bullet entry point. Kyoko hissed like an angered alley cat as her skin parted under the blade. Her breath hitched and tears erupted again. Her hisses changed to louder moans as Lory dropped the knife and used his fingers to dig into the newly formed wound. Kyoko bucked against Ren's restraining grip at the pain of the large, invading fingers attempting to pluck the bullet from its resting place along the edge of her rib. Ren cussed softly and pressed harder on her shoulders in hopes of keeping her still. Unable to contain the sobs any longer, Kyoko cried in pain. Although Ren flinched at the heart-wrenching sound, Lory's fingers never paused.

"Gotcha, you slippery bastard," he muttered as his fingers finally snagged the bullet and succeeded in plucking it from Kyoko's shaking body. Tears of pain and soft sobs lingered in the wake of Lory's make-shift surgery.

Lory then doused the wound with some of the remaining witch hazel.

"Do you need to stitch it?" Ren asked with a husky voice.

Lory frowned as he considered the wound. He finally shook his head.

"I think we might just try to bandage it and see if the bleeding stops. If it gets infected, I figure that it'll be easier to deal with if the wound is open. She's gonna need some tight bandages though."

"You are lucky, Miss Mogami," Lory continued as he used Kyoko's shirt once again to press against the wound and slow the bleeding. "The bullet hit your rib bone, which I am pretty sure is broken, but it deflected the bullet from anything major. You're lucky the bullets lost some of their punch from going through the wagon before hitting you. It could have been a lot worse."

Tears still running down her cheeks, Kyoko nodded and snuffed that she understood. Lory offered her an encouraging smile before shifting his attention to the minor wound on her thigh. Quickly, he plucked the bullet from its resting place and doused the injury with the dregs of the container of herbal disinfectant. He placed another temporary bandage before shifting backwards. He promised to return shortly. A moment later, Takarada disappeared from the wagon.

Unsure of what to do now, Ren stared longingly at the open backboard of the wagon. Instead of leaving though, he remained in place and listened to the soft sounds of Kyoko trying to regain control of her tears.

Shortly, Lory returned. He handed Ren a blanket with instructions to wrap her in it completely. Gently, Ren followed the direction then assisted Lory to slide the cook to the edge of the wagon. Lory hefted the slight slip of a girl into his arms as Ren watched him with a confused expression.

"We'll be back, boss man," Lory promised as he shifted Kyoko in his arms slightly which caused her to breath funny and moan again.

When Ren moved to follow the older man, Lory stopped him in his boots.

"Don't you think you should check on the rest of your charges there boss man?" Lory prompted with a quirked eyebrow that annoyed the trail boss more than being called boss man. Irked and narrowed dark eyes watched as Lory moved off with his precious bundled burden. Lory was met by Deche near the edge of camp and they moved away from the camp. Lory easily carried the slight cook while Deche carried Kyoko's personal bag as well as another bundle. Ren grunted in annoyance but turned his attention from the cook and his supposed friends in order to address his other duties.

* * *

><p>Kuon Hizuri rubbed his forehead in frustration before running his fingers through his already messy blond hair. He had been in Dodge City for almost a week and was no closer to leaving for Trails End than he had been when he first stepped off the train into the rough western town. What little charm the Easterner had found in the rather ruckus place had dwindled along with his patience. He had spoken to dozens of cowboys, ranchers and trail bosses and the best he had gotten was a non-committal offer that he could travel south to Texas with a handful of rough cowpunchers that planned to spend the next week or two carousing in Dodge City before heading home once more.<p>

The only positive point in Kuon's mind had been when he established an acquaintance with one of the cattle brokers. Mr. Baker was around his father's age, over-worked, and under appreciated but the kind-hearted gentleman had taken pity on the tall, handsome young man who so obviously did not belong in the dusty, smelly cattle yard where he spent his days interviewing the transient workers who arrived along with their herds of cattle.

During his lunch break, Mr. Barker had approached the young man. The cattle broker found the Easterner to be articulate and passionate about his intentions to get south as soon as possible. When Kuon revealed the need to travel south because of his little sister who was abandoned by her supposed protector, the cattle man was sold on helping him. Mr. Barker had a young teen-aged daughter himself and he perfectly understood the urgency of the situation. The broker had immediately promised to speak with the men who he encountered in the cattle yard exchange. Mr. Barker would inform Kuon immediately if he spoke with someone who might be able to help him. He agreed to send a runner round to the young man's hotel with any news.

With little else to do, Kuon still spent much of his time during the day at the cattle yards but the lack of progress was eating away at his mental stability. This morning when he struggled awake before dawn from a particularly disturbing nightmare involving Kyoko being terrorized by a hoard of unsavory cowboys, he had been sorely tempted to visit one of the many saloons that seemed teeming with drunken ranch hands at all times of the day and night. The desire to release some of his frustration in a brawl or two made his hands tingle in anticipation and his chest pound in want. Agitated, he paced the length of the hotel room trying to calm his shot nerves. The unbridled urge to seek an outlet for his frustration washed over his body. Rage clouded his vision for a moment with the same darkness that encased him as a teen.

Time spend in the healing light of Kyoko Mogami had taught him not to give into the darkness inside his mind though. Fighting his desire for destruction, Kuon combated the overwhelming urge with the only intervention that he has ever found to stop the violent rage that sometimes bubbled under the surface of the angelic appearing young man.

Flopping back onto the bed, Kuon concentrated on the image of the peaceful place that he clasped so tightly inside his heart. He pictured he and Kyoko's secret spot. It was the one place that had been only theirs. They had never shared the knowledge of their secret hide-out with anyone. He never told any of his friends and Kyoko never told her fake prince. The shaking in his limbs slowly subsided as he pictured the adoring light in Kyoko's golden gaze as she coaxed him to wade into the creek that meandered slowly through the woods behind their large home. It had been in the midst of his darkest times as a teen and the charming little sprite had practically dragged him away from the house and his dark and morbid stewing. A soft smile settled on Kuon's lips as his blue eyes closed. He could practically feel the warmth of the summer sun that still paled against the warmth of the love from the little dark-haired girl who bathed him in her adoration. The Easterner's breathing evened. He slipped into sleep once more only this time he embraced a happier dream from a better time.

* * *

><p>Shoko Aki gently shifted her fingers through the limp locks of the young man resting his head on her legs as he slept peacefully for the first time in months. The older woman was not sure if it was the gentle swaying of the train as it propelled them Eastward that had soothed the distraught youth into slumber or if was sheer exhaustion that caused it. A little over two weeks ago, Shoko had finally been able to convince Sho that there was no way he was going to find his childhood friend by gallivanting haphazardly across Texas. Finally, the reckless blond had conceded the point although the older woman suspected his capitulation was more because the youth's seemingly endless funds were dwindling to almost nothing that triggered his acquiescence to her suggestion that they return to his family to see if they or the Hizuris had heard from the missing young woman.<p>

Personally, Miss Aki was looking forward to reaching Richmond, Virginia and the young man's family hotel. The youth had offered to help her secure a job at one of his family's businesses in exchange for helping on his trip. A wry smile ghosted across the older woman's lips as she considered how lucky Sho was that he had bartered with her. She shook her head. The young man asleep on her lab truly was unable to care for himself properly. He needed a constant keeper. Tilting her head to the side and smoothing his hair one more time, Shoko admitted to herself that she kind of liked the keeper job. Fleetingly, she wondered it she would be able to keep it once they reached his home. On the heels of the thought, she grinned as she wondered if his parents would pay her for it.

* * *

><p>The smell of a hearty breakfast cooking woke Kanae from slumber. A brilliant grin spread across her face despite the sore muscles that protested her movement to a sitting position. After three days, the young woman was still experiencing the effects of her long trek from her previous home to her new one. The pretty, dark-haired young woman took a deep breath and climbed from the sinfully comfortable bed that the shop owners had kindly allowed her to use for her stay. Glancing around the sparsely decorated room, Kanae could not help but smile once more. Although to most folks the room would have been a drab and depressing little hole, for this young woman, it was practically a castle. For someone used to sleeping on the dirt floor with a slew of other children, not enough blankets, and an empty stomach, this room was a luxurious gift. Dressing quickly and pulling the comforter up on the bouncy bed, Kanae left her joy-filled room. Stepping from the staircase into the kitchen, she politely greeted the couple who so kindly offered her a place stay after she arrived at their shop with a tale of meeting Kuon.<p>

"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Can I help with anything?" she inquired politely.

Mary just waved the pretty young girl towards the table as she carried a large platter of pancakes to the already filled table.

"When do you want me to start today?" Kanae asked John as she settled into the wooden seat across from him. She waited until both the Smiths began to place food on their plates before filling her own.

John's normally grumpy expression did not change although his eyes bored into their new young boarder's sparkling eyes.

"Your reading and writing needs improvement. You'll head over to the school this morning and start classes with Mr. Sawara. You can start your work at the shop this afternoon," the gruff owner of the trading post stated.

Surprised at the order but pleased at the chance to return to school, Kanae nodded happily. As the threesome offered their thanks to God with grace, the young woman added her own silent thank you to the Power that sent Kuon Hizuri into her bathhouse. The chance encounter with the girl turned boy had truly been a blessing of a life-changing event.

"Thanks," she whispered quietly once more.


	14. Confessions

"So what's the damage?" Tsuruga curtly asked the elder Uesagi when he approached the trail boss who was stiffly sitting by the campfire and sipping from a tin cup of coffee. Exhausted cowboys were scattered around the camp sleeping while others where plodding through chores with the promise of sleep still a few hours away when they would swap with their companions. As boss, Ren was resisting the urge to sleep. Truth be told though, his current emotional state helped stave the desire to rest better than the coffee.

Before he answered, Ryuutaro grabbed the pot of coffee from its position over the campfire and slopped some inside one of the waiting cups. He took a long drag of the black eye-opener but didn't succeed in swallowing. The dark drink immediately spewed from his mouth like an arching fountain.

"Good God, man! How that hell do you screw up coffee?" the Dancing Blade rancher demanded as he poured the offensive and possibly toxic liquid onto the fire. "It's just beans and water for Heaven's sake."

Although normally the first to agree to any teasing about his abysmal abilities with anything culinary, Ren didn't even smile let alone reply to the gibe. The clearly disgruntled younger man just stared grumpily at his companion. The older man sighed and tossed the cup towards the chuck wagon. He lowered himself to the trampled grass and rolled his neck before answering the original question.

"Coops dead. Took three shots in the chest. We confirmed the loss of only three steer to stray fire. Lost three horses."

A gun shot sounded near the edge of camp where Hikaru and Shinichi were working on one of the injured horsed.

"Make that four horses," Ryuutaro changed with a grimace. "We've got three more unable to sustain riders for a while including Takarada's white, Majestic."

Ren nodded in understanding.

They continued their discussion with details about injuries. Yuusei was now awake and coherent. Unfortunately, he was experiencing dizzy spells every time he moved too much or too quickly. Ren had countered that all three Ishibashis had hard heads so he was sure that Yuusei would be back to normal in no time. Ryuutaro had agreed then explained that Hio had little more than a scratch on his shoulder. The most concerning injuries ended up being the cook and Kijima. Hidehito took a bullet in the shoulder. Lory was able to dig out the bullet but his right arm was useless until the muscle healed. He had also lost a decent amount of blood. As they talked, Ren glanced over his shoulder once more towards the direction where Lory and Deche had disappeared upstream with the injured cook. He sighed in frustration again before turning back to his seated companion.

"Sorry about Cooper," the younger man stated. Uesagi nodded back. Cooper had been one of his full time ranch hands. His wife had died years ago but his 16 year old son, Little Coop, would most likely stay on at the Dancing Blade ranch even with his dad being gone. He was a hard-working kid who had handled the ramuda the last two years on their drive. The only reason the youth hadn't accompanied them this year for his first time as a full-fledged puncher was due to a vile case of poison oak that he picked up at the beginning of the round up.

Uesagi had two of his regular hands digging a grave for Cooper since they were not in a position to transport the body for a number of days. The older rancher tightened his jaw and shook his head at the dishonorable waste of life.

"For what it's worth, we gained six horses from the rustlers but only two of them are really worth a second glance. The other four are little better then hog fodder. Hio has them tethered with the ramuda currently but we might just want to strip them and let them run."

The Dancing Blade rancher went on to explain that they gathered the bodies and left all seven of them at the back of the herd after having stripped the corpses of weapons. They had placed the weapons and ammunition in a scavenged box in the chuck wagon. They would inform the authorities of the bodies when they hit Dodge City unless Ren decided they needed to send a messenger ahead. After discussing the workload, Ren decided it would just be best to move on the drive and inform the marshal's office when they arrived at the cattle yards. No one on the drive was going to feel real concerned about leaving the bodies to the scavengers especially with Coop's death fresh on their minds.

Ren asked the other rancher if he thought Hio was up to working a couple shifts on the drive line. The youngster's father grinned as he admitted that even if he wasn't up to it that there was no way he would admit it. The kid would be foaming at the mouth in excitement at the prospect of wrangling instead of caring for the extra mounts even if it was only for a couple days. Hio was always interested in proving he was just as good as a grown man.

Ren stood. He glanced one more time to where Lory had escaped before leaving the fire in search of his injured workers. After a quick discussion with Yuusei, the dark-haired Ishibashi found himself assigned to driving the chuck wagon. When Ren found Kijima to check on his abilities, he found the cowboy sound asleep propped up on his saddle which was sitting on the ground. Someone had thrown a dusty horse blanket over the injured man to help keep him warm. His Stetson was tipped down over his face to keep the morning sun from his eyes but Ren could hear his steady breathing therefore he wasn't too worried about his condition just yet. Time would be the factor in whether or not the injury became any worse.

As it stood though, Ren was pretty sure Hidehito would not be riding into Dodge City on the cattle line. If he could stay on his horse, Ren figured he could put the injured cowboy in charge of the extra mounts along with Deche who had proved last night that he could sit atop a horse again but that his mobility and strength was still too lacking for wrangling cattle yet. If he couldn't stay on his horse, he would still be forced to ride in the chuck wagon.

Hikaru approached the trail boss as he meandered back towards the campfire. The normally playful but currently serious Ishibashi inquired about where he could find Takarada. The young man wanted to give the older cowboy an update on the health of his favorite horse. His inquiry forced Ren to once more glance towards the stream. This time, he was rewarded for his efforts because Deche came into view from behind the scruffy bushes that lined the winding water source. In his arms, he carried a pile of wet clothes as well as the cook's travel bag. The Indian was also dressed in his spare set of pants and a clean shirt. Behind him, Lory appeared. He was still carrying the cook wrapped in the blanket.

Her eyes were closed but a distinct frown lined her lips and creased her eyes in what Ren assumed was pain. Ren's chest suddenly felt tight as he realized that he did not like the expression marring the young cook's face.

Lory transported the cook directly towards Ren and Hikaru. He stopped directly in front of the pair and stared intently at Ren for a moment. Ren just returned the gaze with a blank expression. He knew from experience that nothing he said would make a difference to the older cowpuncher and he wasn't about to jump all over him about lying in such a public manner. After all, he didn't think the cook wanted everyone to know she was a female.

Lory shifted the slight form in his arms and nudged the back of Kyoko's head with his shoulder. She lifted her head slightly from its resting place on his upper chest and lower shoulder. Her golden eyes opened and both Ren and Hikaru took a deep breath at the transformation in her expression. Gone was the slightly arrogant and smirking boy. In his place was a rather fragile appearing young woman. Her hair was slightly damp and her face was free of any signs of dirt. Deche and Lory had obviously helped her bath in the stream. This thought bothered Ren immensely but he shoved the un-welcomed image away.

"I think introductions are in order," Takarada stated with a smirk on his face. "Ren, Hikaru, I would like you to meet Miss Kyoko Mogami."

Hikaru's jaw fell open and he stumbled back a step at the confirmed revelation. His eyes jumped frantically from one delicate feature on the cook's face to the next.

"How'd we miss that?" he muttered as a faint blush raised on his cheeks as he suddenly realized that he was staring at one of the cutest young women he had ever met. The blush bloomed deeper when he thought back over his and his cousins' behavior since they met the cook. Nervously, he stammered, "Well, now I know why you didn't want to bath with us, huh?"

Until that moment, Kyoko had been searching for any type of emotion in the trail boss' blank expression. Lory's chest shook slightly as he chuckled at the oldest Ishibashis comment and Kyoko offered her surrogate big brother an apologetic smile. Hikaru immediately smiled warmly in return. Despite the obvious affection of Kyoko's return expression, a shiver of chilling dread skittered up Hikaru's spine. His eyes shifted towards the trail boss. Unconsciously, the young cowboy took a step back and the smile drained from his face.

"Um... I think I will go check on... uh, yeah, on the horses again," he stuttered as he continued to back away from the frightening glare that seemed to be piercing his very soul.

Lory shifted which drew the death glare from the retreating Ishibashi's back to the cook and her current cowboy turned personal porter.

Kyoko squeaked and scrunched her eyes shut tight at the force of the negative emotion condensed into that one expression. She attempted to make herself as small as possible while still in Lory's arms. For a fleeting moment, she was almost successful in her interpretation of a small, furry rodent hiding from a fierce and deadly predator.

Lory's own expression tightened.

"Perhaps you should hear the whole story before you make any rash judgments," he cautioned.

Not sure if he could reply without growling in frustration, Ren nodded. Lory then turned and carried the cook to the chuck wagon where Deche had set up her bedroll inside the back. He had also moved around as many supplies and boxes as he could so that there was a bit more space in the back of the covered wagon. The Indian had even condensed what little food remained into two boxes and broke the other ones into pieces and tossed them on the campfire. Some of the larger pots and kettles, he had strapped to the outside of the wagon thereby freeing more space in the interior.

Lory slid Kyoko onto her bedroll which Deche had placed over his own and also Lory's roll in hopes of giving her more of a cushion against the floorboards of the wagon. A soft moan escaped the cook's lips when she was shifted onto the make-shift bed. Takarada helped her maneuver into a more comfortable position before turning to his younger friend. Gently, Lory placed his hand on Ren's shoulder as he whispered a word of advice as well as a firm order.

"Listen calmly, my friend. She had her reasons. Give her a chance then forgive her and let her sleep. She is going to need it."

Ren nodded curtly one time which satisfied his companion. With a final worried glance at the wounded cook, Lory departed with a promise to get the drive moving. In the quiet after his departure, Ren sat on the edge of the chuck wagon. His eyes trailed over the pale and waning complexion of the teen cook.

"I'm sorry I lied," Kyoko murmured as she struggled to sit up.

Reflexively, Ren reached forward and assisted her to an upright position. When he withdrew his hand, he stared at it for a moment as if contemplating the momentary contact with her soft, warm body.

The blanket in which she was wrapped fell open to reveal that the young cook was dressed in a simple nightshirt. Her legs and feet were bare but it still covered her well because the sleeping shirt obviously belonged to someone significantly larger than her petite body. For a moment, Ren wondered whose shirt it was. It appeared way too large for either Deche or Lory. He suspected it would have fit his large frame well. An angry fist seemed to clench in Ren's stomach for a moment and the trail boss was momentarily confused at the jealous feeling that washed over him. Gathering his iron will, Tsuruga crushed the unwanted emotion and instead focused on the apology. He prodded the cook to explain why she was masquerading as a young male.

Kyoko nervously clenched her hands on the blanket. Because of her broken rib, she cringed when she took a deep breath in hopes of calming her nerves. She resisted the urge to whimper but instead focused on convincing the trail boss that what she did was not out of malice. Kyoko truly had a good reason for her deceit. Her voice shook with a combination of pain and fear.

Quietly, Ren listened as Kyoko explained all about who Fuwa Sho was and why she found herself alone and unprotected in the middle of Texas and so very far from her home in Philadelphia. Although his heart contracted at the woe-begotten tale, Ren refused to allow his emotions to show on his face. Instead, he remained attentive but offered no sympathy or anger. Kyoko finished her explanation with another apology. Silence fell between them.

"So why didn't you tell me this to begin with?" Ren asked softly. Being who he was, he would have offered to help.

Kyoko lifted her expressive eyes to reveal sorrow but no shame.

"I did not know you then. I needed help and I needed money. You offered me both."

"But you could have told me. I still would have helped you."

"How was I to know that?" countered Kyoko with a perplexed expression. "When you first offered me the job, I barely knew you. All I knew was your name and the fact that you should never be allowed near a stove. That really isn't enough to inspire trust."

Ren conceded her point but then asked why she didn't tell him once they knew one another better. Ren reminded her that she shared her secret with Deche and Lory so why wouldn't she tell him. Although he would never admit it, the fact that she did not trust him enough to tell him truly bothered the trail boss. It was quite a blow to his ego that she was willing to share with Lory and his silent companion over him. It was then that Kyoko admitted the she did not originally reveal herself to the others. They discovered it on their own. It was only after she was caught that she explained her situation to Mr. Takarada.

Ren rolled his eyes. He still did not understand why she did not tell him once Lory knew.

Kyoko nervously fidgeted with her fingers before finally admitting that she didn't want Mr. Tsuruga to be disappointed in her.

"I couldn't change the circumstances," she explained. "I needed to protect myself in the beginning but then I did not want you to be disappointed in me."

Kyoko glance up at the blank-faced trail boss.

"I really didn't want to lose the respect and friendship that we had built and I worried that you would despise me for my masquerade."

"I would never have despised you, Miss Mogami. You are a hard worker and you proved yourself equal to the task of keeping pace with the rest of us on the drive. It does not matter that you are a female."

Inwardly, Ren felt like sighing as he added in his own thoughts that it would have made his life easier to know though. It would have relieved a lot of his personal stress over the past couple weeks. He would never admit this aloud though.

Ren watched Kyoko's eyelids slide shut and her fight to force them open as he explained his acceptance of her explanation and apology. When she thanked him for his understanding, Ren smiled softly. Unable to stop himself, he reached forward and ran his hand along her cheek and into her soft hair. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she leaned into his touch and her eyes slid shut again.

This time, Ren resisted the urge to lean forward and join his lips to the teen's soft ones.

"Get some rest, Miss Mogami," Ren stated with a gravelly voice that sent a slight shiver across Kyoko's skin.

Gently, Ren assisted the cook to resume her position on her make-shift bed. With a final glance at the exhausted and injured cook, Ren scooted off the back of the chuck wagon. He then closed back of the wagon. Turning his attention to the camp, the trail boss found his target. Purposefully, he strode across the grass as he barked orders to everyone still in camp that it was time to get moving.

"Takarada" Ren growled.

Lory met Ren's blazing gaze with his own expression of barely concealed glee. For a moment, Tsuruga fought the physical desire to clout his employee and friend in the jaw. Instead of striking him, the trail boss snapped his displeasure with words.

"You should have told me, old man," he scolded in a voice that clearly showed how disgusted and frustrated he felt over the perceived betrayal.

Like an unrepentant child, Takarada smirked tauntingly and then chuckled.

"I told you Kuon was an interesting kid. It is your fault that you didn't take the time to find out just why."

"You should have told me anyway," groused Ren as his anger slowly dissipated leaving behind only the frustration.

"What did it hurt, Ren?" Lory countered.

Ren groaned.

"It would have helped to know she was a girl before I kissed her, damn it all," he muttered murderously before turning on his booted heels and stalking off to his horse.

For a moment, Lory just stared in shock at the retreating back of his uncommonly uptight and controlled friend. Unable to resist, the old cowboy burst into boisterous laughter. As if to hold in the obnoxious sound, Takarada covered his mouth with both hands but the sound could not be contained. Tears of mirth fell from his eyes as the echoes of his glee followed the mortified Ren all the way back to the cattle line.


	15. Fever

By the next evening, Lory Takarada was not finding anything laughable in the situation he faced as he nudged his stock horse around the mass of moving cattle until he could reach the side of the trail boss. Loudly, so that he could be heard over the rolling thunder of the lowing, moving beasts, the weary cowboy called to Ren. The trail boss shifted his attention momentarily from his point position on the herd to his friend. With that one glance, Ren called to Ushio to cover his position so that he could fall back to the side and speak privately with Lory.

"Aren't you supposed to be catching some sleep?" the rancher demanded of the older cowboy who had been working since before sun-up with only a couple short breaks. With the sun sinking low in the west, it had been a long, work-filled day for Takarada.

Lory waived off the comment. He day wasn't going to be ending any time soon.

"I need one of the hands, all the cash you can muster, and four horses," Lory stated without preamble.

Ren's left eyebrow disappeared under the brim of his hat in silent question of the weird request. With his attention sliding between Lory on his left side and the beasts moving on his right side, he called and prodded the slowing cattle to pick up the pace before asking his obviously tired companion why he was making inconvenient demands.

"We need to leave for Dodge City now. It can't wait. You figured we would be there tomorrow evening or late the morning after depending how long we can keep moving tonight. That's too long."

Ren immediately understood.

"Which one?" Tsuruga asked although he already knew the answer and his stomach clenched viciously at the thought.

"Miss Mogami," Lory confirmed with worry evident in his eyes. "She's running so hot that she is starting to talk nonsense."

Ren pulled off his hat and wiped his sweaty face with his shirt sleeve. He momentarily rested his hat on his muscled thigh as he shifted his other hand through his hair to relieve some of his own body heat. With the sun beating down on them, all the cowboys were hot so he knew it had to be worse in the stuffy interior of the chuck wagon. At least they had access to the breeze while they moved. The suffocating confines of the wagon had to have made the cook's fever even worse.

"Just take the wagon. That way you can keep Kijima too in case his wound sours also."

Lory shook his head in denial. The wagon would take too long. Horseback would be faster and the older man feared that the delay could be detrimental if not fatal.

"We're already down too many damn horses," Ren grumbled as he made a number of decisions rapidly. He shoved his back into place with a deep frown.

"Take Hikaru and two horses for yourself. Put Hikaru on Critter. He's strong enough to carry me all day long. He can take Hikaru and Miss Mogami. Even together they can't be much heavier than I am. I'll meet you at the campsite with all the cash I can muster."

Ren spurred his horse into motion to speak with the others hands on the drive. Lory was going to need cash not only for the doctor but also for living expenses. Ren hoped they had enough money collectible. There was no way Miss Mogami could stay in any of the cheap flop house style hotels they normally used when in Dodge City. She would need a private room in a decent hotel and not a huge room full of cots, zero privacy and dozens of randy cowboys. It was bad enough she was riding in the same wagon as Kijima. If the playboy cowpoke hadn't been injured, Ren would have surely ordered him to the other side of the herd for the rest of drive.

Ren cussed under his breath. To be honest, he didn't want the pretty teen exposed to anyone, but he was going to have to trust Lory and Hikaru. The trail boss admitted to himself that he found himself drawn to the little slip of a girl and he wanted nothing more then to grab her up and race to town with her in his lap. Unfortunately, Ren knew his duty and he could not just drop it to follow his own nagging desires.

These feelings were a new thing for Tsuruga. For weeks, he had been haunted by unwanted images and desires regarding the new cook. Each time they surfaced, he had crushed them immediately. Now that Kuon was revealed to be Kyoko, the young rancher was no longer fighting the wayward thoughts. Ren was even warming to the possibility of pursuing a relationship with the pretty teen once the drive was completed. The rancher cussed again as his stomach clenched again in anxiety. First they had to make sure that she survived the drive, he reminded himself harshly. Only then would he allow himself to seriously contemplate expressing his budding feelings.

After collecting all the cash he could muster from the cattle line, Ren spurred his horse back to camp. The trail boss was pleasantly surprised that everyone had been willing and able to contribute at least a couple bits towards the collection. A faint smile skirted Ren's lips as he realized that the enthusiastic little cook was very popular with all the cowboys and not just the regular hands from the Dark Moon ranch. Even as the boy, Kuon, she had charmed them with her cooking, work ethic, and open enthusiasm. Eventually even Hio, the last stand out against the cook, had reluctantly accepted Kuon.

When Ren finally arrived at the camp which was in place a few miles ahead of the current herd location, he was surprised to find Yuusei caring for the ramuda. The injured cowboy was moving slowly but still brushing down one of the horses that had been working all afternoon. Irked to see the injured Ishibashi doing the job he assigned Deche, Ren immediately demanded to know where the wayward Indian was hiding himself.

Ren followed Yuusei's direction to the creek. On the grassy bank of the small waterway, Lory sat against the base of a tree beside a pile of strewn clothes. The exhausted older man was dozing and Ren hated to wake him when he knew he could not have been resting long. Instead of bothering Lory, Ren approached the edge of the water and waited for Deche to notice him.

Stripped to only his pants, the Indian was kneeling in the waist deep water holding their weakly struggling and protesting cook. Kyoko's words were disjointed and slurred as she demanded that the hell damned man get her out of the icy water before she died from the cold. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Ren might have laughed at the previously soft spoken innocent now verbally assaulting Deche in a rather crude manner. The time spent on the drive in the company of nothing but rough males had obviously expanded the young woman's vocabulary.

Deche held Kyoko firmly in the water despite her protests. He promised that he would take her out in a few more minutes. The Indian then turned his head towards Ren and nodded slightly to acknowledge that he knew he was there.

"Is it helping?" Ren inquired.

"For now," Deche answered.

Lory joined Ren as he rubbed his tired eyes.

"It only works for a short time though. We take her out and her temperature starts building again. Deche's had her in and out of the water a couple times today."

Ren scanned the water-logged pair. He frowned.

"She's practically blue," the trail boss expressed as he noticed the pale tone of Kyoko's exposed skin. "Hell, Deche looks half frozen."

"All frozen," Deche thought with a grim tightening of his lips and a stubborn refusal to complain aloud.

The clomping of horses drew the attention of the three men as Hikaru approached with three horses in tow. Two were rather average mares from the stables at the Dancing Blade ranch but Ren's stallion, Critter, was another story. The horse stamped its foreleg and shook its head as it tried to pull away from the small cowboy holding his reins in favor of the person it considered his. Affectionately, Ren reached forward and rubbed Critter's neck. The beast was larger than the normal horses that the cowboys preferred for drives where quick maneuvers could mean the difference between safety and being gored. While Critter may not have been as nimble as some of the other horses, he was much stronger and had better stamina. Additionally, Ren would have bet money that he was far more intelligent too.

Since Hikaru and the horses were ready, Deche stood and repositioned Kyoko so that she could move out of the creek. With the Indian helping her from falling, the shaking teen stumbled towards the bank. Deche grimaced as the injured muscles in his stomach protested the exertion needed to help keep the sick and injured girl upright. If he had been healthy, he would have just carried her out of the water. Unfortunately, he knew he was not up to the challenge therefore he was reduced to guiding her weak steps.

When Kyoko stumbled, three sets of hands reached to help keep her from falling in the knee high water. By the time her knees hit the creek bed, Ren had wrapped his arms around her. Lifting her slight body from the water, the trail boss carried her out of the slow moving tributary.

"Where are her clothes?" snarled Ren as he made an effort to avoid looking down at the young woman clad only in the binding around her chest to protect her broken rib and a makeshift cloth wrapped around her waist like a tiny skirt. He glared at Hikaru who was staring at the shapely legs that were exposed to all.

The oldest Ishibashi immediately dropped his eyes from the enticing sight.

Deche pulled her huge nightshirt from the pile of clothes on the ground and stepped towards Ren. The trail boss shifted Kyoko until she was standing but he retained hold of her still shaking torso because she was too weak to keep herself standing. Efficiently, as if he was a parent dressing a small child, Deche slipped the dress-sized shirt over Kyoko's head. He then guided each of her arms into the proper sleeves.

"Be safe, nai'bi," the Indian whispered as he brushed Kyoko's dark hair from her face before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

A surge of jealousy bit at Ren until he noticed the expression in Deche's eyes. Unlike the hungry look on Hikaru's face when he looked at the cook, Deche's expression reflected a tenderness that Ren had never seen on the Indian's normally stoic countenance. It was similar to the expression on Lory's face when he held Maria or the one Ryuutaro showed when he had finally stopped hugging Hio after the gunfight with the rustlers. Instantly, the rancher felt better about the affection and obvious closeness between the two.

Ren smiled at the exchange then swept Kyoko back into his arms. Exhausted by the struggle in the water, the sick teen closed her eyes and reclined against Ren's shoulder. Her wet hair soaked his shirt and he pulled her close against his chest in hopes of staving off the full body tremors she was experiencing. Her teeth chattered incessantly even as her body slowly relaxed. The trail boss continued to hold her like a bridegroom with his new bride until Lory finished fussing with the old saddle Hikaru had placed on the first mare.

"Good idea," Ren offered as he noticed that Lory had taken his large knife and hacked the horn and the pummel off the saddle so that it resembled a British saddle instead of a Western one. He had done the same thing to the saddle on which Hikaru now sat. They would now be able to hold Kyoko without being forced to ride without the saddle.

Lory smirked with a tired twinkle in his eyes.

"I used two of the saddles from the rustlers' horses so no great loss," Lory stated at he held his arms open.

Ren stepped up and slid Kyoko onto the blanket Lory had arranged over the front of his saddle to make it a bit more comfortable. The trail boss then handed Hikaru the collection of cash he had begged from the other cowhands.

"We'll meet you at the cattle yards when you get to Dodge City," Lory stated as he settled the already sleeping cook more firmly against his chest and spurred his horse into movement. Hikaru likewise nudged Critter forward as he led the third horse on a tether line.

Ren offered a silent prayer for their safety as they disappeared into the darkening evening light.

* * *

><p>Hikaru's stomach growled like a possessed fiend and he tried to shift into a position that would relieve the stubborn ache while remaining atop Critter's trotting body. Against his chest, Kyoko muttered in protest. Absently, the cowboy rubbed the hand that was holding her against his body up and down her back in hopes of stopping the pitiful whimpers. Worried chocolate eyes glanced down at the slight female resting against his chest and heating his sweating body like a personal blast furnace. Unlike Lory who had held the feverish girl almost as if she was riding side saddle, Hikaru had her positioned facing him. He had originally held her facing forward but as the day proceeded and her fever spiked, he finally had to shift her around. Before moving her to face him, Kyoko kept falling forward onto Critter's neck. Although the horse was handling the two riders every bit as well as Ren anticipated, the stallion did not appreciate having the limp form of the sick cook weighting down his neck. He had pranced and bucked until Lory had suggested that they shift Kyoko so that she could lean against Hikaru's chest instead.<p>

"Do you have any water left?" Hikaru asked his companion as his eyes traced over Kyoko's dry, split lips, her flushed cheeks, and her glassy eyes.

"I want puffy," Kyoko muttered in a hoarse whisper as she smacked her lips. "Faf-errrr, share puffy wif me."

Small sobs issued from the fevered girl's lips but no tears fell. By this time, she was so dehydrated from sweating out the fever that no tears could fall. Hikaru slowed Critter's pace so that Lory could hand him the canteen. One handed, the cowboy opened the container and coaxed the limp teen to take some of the luke-warm water. When she refused to drink more than a few sips, Hikaru upended the rest of the water on the back of her head and down her neck. Kyoko fussed at the seemingly cold liquid but a moment later she had slumped back against her companion's chest.

"We'll be there soon," Hikaru promised softly as he handed the now empty container to Lory. With his knees, he prodded Critter into a faster trot once more.

Into his chest, Kyoko started begging Kuon not to leave them. Hikaru glanced over at Lory who was now riding the second mare. They exchanged worried looks before urging both their mounts into a slightly faster pace.

An hour later, the first couple buildings of Dodge City could be seen. With their goal within sight, the Dark Moon cowboys pressed their horses into a gallop. Although exhausted, the horses picked up speed as if they realized that they were only a mile or so away from some much needed rest and nourishment.

Slowing their pace only minimally when they reached the edge of town, the weary travelers headed straight for the only doctor office that they knew how to find. Finally stopping by the hitching posts outside the office, Lory slid from his saddle and staggered towards Hikaru who patted Critter on his neck and offered him staunch praise for his incredible stamina. The younger cowboy shifted Kyoko off his chest and towards Lory's waiting arms. More tired than he could remember in all the time after the war between the states, Lory shuffled into the doctor's office with Kyoko's blazing hot and limp body in his arms.

Hikaru paused long enough to make sure all three horses were hitched to the post before following Takarada's lead inside.

"Can we get some help here?" Lory called from the empty entrance room as Hikaru followed him into the office.

A few moments later, a small, nervous man entered the room. He took one look at the obviously ill teen in the cowboy's arms and squeaked. He recovered quickly though and directed the older man to bring the patient into the back room. With a relieved sigh, Takarada positioned Kyoko on the counter high exam table. Stepping back, he immediately sank into the only chair in the room.

Hikaru followed them into the exam room but quickly offered to deal with the horses when he saw the doctor pulling the cook's clothes from her body. The searing glance Ren had leveled at him the last time he stared at Miss Mogami's unclothed body served as a great motivating force. As the door closed, Lory dove into his explanation of what happened. The doctor nodded and asked questions occasionally as he unwrapped the binding and bandage on her chest wound. He placed a small sheet over Kyoko's lower body to help protect her modesty but left her chest uncovered. He poked and prodded at the seemingly unconscious teen as he examined the nicely healing wound on her leg and the not so nicely healing one on her torso.

The doctor pressed his lips together when he saw the red, swollen flesh around the wound just below Kyoko's right breast. The doctor dug inside one of his cabinets and removed a polished yet worn cherry box stamped with a brass name plate that read Henry Schively and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The brass edged box opened to reveal a collection of surgical tools that Lory recognized from the times he visited field hospitals. It was a fairly standard surgical kit. The doctor extracted a medium sized, thin knife with a handle worn from years of use. The doctor called to Lory.

"I need you to hold her still for this," the doctor explained.

Lory glanced immediately towards the stoppered bottle of ether and the rag on the counter behind the surgical kit.

The doctor obviously noticed the cowboy's glance.

"If I sedate her, it will kill her," he stated with an apologetic expression.

Accepting the inevitable, Lory moved forward and placed his hands on Kyoko's shoulder much like Ren did the night he dug the bullet out of her flesh. With practiced ease, the doctor cut into the infected wound and Kyoko screamed. Hikaru slammed into the exam room in a panic as the previously docile patient tried to thrash away from the new pain that was stabbing into the continuous ache that had encompassed her body for the past day and a half.

Lory cussed and called the wide-eyed Hikaru over to help. He never thought he would need help holding a little slip of a girl in place but he did. With the two cowboys holding her down, the doctor was quickly able to split open the infected wound. He wiped as much of the thick, yellowish-white puss from the wound and then flushed it with water from his filled pitcher from the washstand. While Kyoko sobbed hysterically, the doctor cleaned the wound site one more time before deftly bandaging the slightly less swollen wound.

"Now we need to get her fever down," the doctor stated before he sent Hikaru to fill two buckets from the water pump behind the medical office where the younger cowboy had previously secured water for the horses.

By the time Hikaru returned from the cast iron hand pump with the chilly water, the doctor had pulled a long tub from a closet. The medical man had Hikaru pour the water into it. He then sent the younger man to once again refill the buckets. When Hikaru returned, Lory and the doctor were lowering Kyoko into the cold water. This time, she didn't scream. She just whimpered.

"I wanna go home, Kuon," she pleaded through her cracked and abused lips. "I don't wanna sled any more. I'm cold Kuon. Take me home."

Lory knelt by the edge of the tub and gently caressed Kyoko's wet hair from her face. He offered her gentle words of encouragement as Hikaru dumped more cold water over her body and into the tub. After Hikaru's third trip, the tub was filled and Kyoko had slipped into just repeating slurred names at random hoping one of them would save her from the frozen death her mind pictured. When her body had heated the water too far to be useful, they emptied the tub and repeated the process. This time, Kyoko barely even muttered anything when her exhausted body was covered once more with icy water from the pump. Her body began to shake and her teeth chattered horribly but the doctor kept her in the tub until the high flush had left her cheeks and she no longer felt burning to the touch. Some time during the second fever bath, Kyoko had fallen into an exhausted sleep.

"Now what?" slurred Hikaru from his position on the floor. His back rested against the wall and his short legs stretched flat out in front of him.

"You all rest," the doctor stated with a smile. "My sister and her husband own the hotel across the street. I'll make sure she sets you up in a room and I will check in on our patient later this afternoon."

"Kyoko. Her name is Kyoko Mogami," Lory offered to the doctor as he wearily stood from the crouch by Kyoko in the tub.

The doctor chucked and introduced himself as Dr. Walborn. Lory offered his and Hikaru's names. Dr. Walborn then wrapped Kyoko in a clean, dry sheet that covered her body from prying eyes. When Lory moved to pick up the cook, his companion offered to do it instead. Hikaru could tell that Lory was barely able to move himself as he stumbled into his thirty-second hour of being awake and pushing his body beyond its norm.

"I'm not ready for pasture yet," muttered Lory half-heartedly as he allowed Hikaru to lift Kyoko against his chest and follow the doctor across the street to the hotel. It was a testament to just how tired the oldest Ishibashi was too that he barely even smiled at the older man's whiny pout.

* * *

><p>Six hours later, a loud voice calling frantically aroused Hikaru from his deep sleep. Groaning, the confused cowboy unrolled from his blanket on the wooden floor. The room was dark and he stumbled over his own boots as he moved towards the bed and the still crying cook.<p>

"Miss Mogami," he called softly as he reached for the young woman who he thought was having a bad dream.

"Ah man," he muttered as his hand touched her dry, blazing skin. Behind him, he heard Lory fumbling to light the small lamp on the table. Pulling on his boots and grabbing his hat, Hikaru offered to get the doctor. Lory settled on the bed beside Kyoko and checked her fever. Although she did not feel quite as hot as earlier in the day, her skin was still uncomfortably warm.

"I feel awful, Mr. Takarada," the cook croaked lucidly. It was the first time in over a day that she had been even remotely conscious about her state and those around her.

"One would expect that, my dear," the relieved cowboy replied before retrieving a glass of water for the still sick teen. He gently patted her head as she held the glass with both her hands to keep from spilling it. Slowly, Kyoko sipped the water. By the time she had finished consuming half the glass, she was shaking from the effort of sitting up and holding the glass. Lory assisted her to sit back against the pillows that he arranged to prop her upright.

"Um... Where are we?" Kyoko asked nervously as she glanced around the rather pleasantly furnished room. It reminded her a bit of the hotel she and Sho had last stayed. She shifted slightly and winced in pain. As the pain subsided, she realized something embarrassing. "Um... and where are my clothes?"

"We're in Dodge City," Takarada explained. "Hikaru and I rode with you here last night because you were very sick. You needed a doctor."

"Oh, I don't normally like seeing the doctor," Kyoko exclaimed. A pensive look entered her eyes. "My brother is studying to be a doctor."

"The real Kuon?"

Kyoko smiled softly.

"Yeah. The real one," she sheepishly admitted.

"You miss him and your family a lot, don't you," Lory prodded and Kyoko confirmed his observation.

"Even though you miss them, have you thought about what I said about staying here?" he then nudged as he considered the feelings the owner of the Dark Moon ranch was obviously developing for the home-sick teen.

Kyoko sighed.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Why would I stay here when my family is back East?"

"You can't think of a single reason to stay?" Lory nudged as he thought about the blatant affection and interest the cook had in her eyes whenever she watched Ren.

Lory's knowing look caused Kyoko to blush and avert her face. Staring down at the thin sheet and light blanket covering her, Kyoko remembered something.

"Where are my clothes?" she demanded once more.

With a resigned sigh, Lory dropped the topic of possible love and explained her lack of clothes.

While the embarrassed teen hid under the sheet and lamented that she would never be able to face any of her cattle driving friends, Hikaru returned to the hotel room with news that the doctor was treating another patient and that he would be over as soon as he was finished. As he was speaking, his stomach once more began to protest its unfairly neglected state. Lory encouraged Hikaru to go downstairs and eat in the small hotel restaurant and to bring him back something when he was done. When the younger cowboy asked Kyoko if she would like anything, she shook her head no. Even the thought of food made her feel queasy. When Hikaru left, Lory pressed the teen to drink some more water and then he wrapped a cool, wet towel around her neck.

Kyoko settled back against the pillows once more and Lory placed another wet cloth on her forehead.

"Thank you, Lory," she whispered softly as her eyes once more closed. From his seat on the edge of the bed, the older man smiled in return. He was tickled that she finally called him by name. It was too bad though, Lory decided that she had to face such hardship before she was willing to do so.

Less than an hour later, the hotel room door opened quietly. Hikaru glanced rapidly around the dimly lit room until he saw Takarada relaxing in a rocking chair by the open window. Practically bursting with excitement, the younger cowboy gestured frantically for Lory to join him in the hallway. After making sure that Kyoko was still asleep, the older man exited the room.

"You will not believe who I just met in the dining room," Hikaru gushed with an uncontrolled glee in his eyes.

"Buffalo Bill?" Lory guessed as he wondered who could possibly have excited the young man into such a state.

"Nope. An Easterner," Hikaru grinned.

"Good looking guy. Big like Ren but blond. Going to school to..."

Slightly exasperated at the silly guessing game, Lory interrupted Hikaru's description.

"For the love of God, who?" Lory snipped.

"Kuon Hizori," Hikaru stated with an evil grin.

For a moment Lory just stared at the younger cowboy. He suddenly looked over his shoulder at the closed hotel door.

"Kuon Hizori," he repeated with apprehension as he once more made eye contact with Hikaru.

Hikaru nodded.

"Yep, Kuon Hizori. Kuon Hizori who just happens to have traveled West in search of his missing little sister."

"Well, I'll be damned..." muttered Lory at this unexpected turn of events.


	16. The Real Kuon Hizuri

"So do we tell him about his sister?" Hikaru quietly inquired. The younger cowboy was not privy to all the details of why Miss Mogami came to their ranch under the guise of of her adopted brother, Kuon Hizori and so he did not admit to the Easterner that his sister was upstairs instead of a couple states to the south. The Ishibashis had speculated outlandishly on why and how Kyoko had found herself in her current condition. Some of their imaginative ideas did not reflect well on the teen's family therefore he was uncomfortable revealing her location if she was, in fact, hiding from her family. Hikaru figured that Takarada was such a pragmatist that he would be sure to know the entire story. Lory could be trusted to make the decision that was best for the teen's situation. Because of his lack of real information, the younger cowboy definitely preferred leaving the decision to the older one.

Lory contemplated in silence for a few seconds. Although he not so secretly hoped to convince the young woman to stay with them, he realized just how important Kyoko's older brother was to her.

"We tell him," he decided firmly.

Hikaru informed the older cowboy which room the real Kuon was using. Takarada immediately set off to find their little cook's adopted sibling.

Lory absently straightened his messy hair before rapping his work-worn knuckles on the last door of the third and top floor of the hotel. The older cowboy had left Hikaru in their second floor room where he was fretting over Miss Mogami's heightening fever while he sought the teen's adopted family.

When the door swung open, the cowboy quickly took stock of the man revealed. A grin tugged at Lory's lips as he realized that Hikaru was not kidding when he said that the real Kuon was as big as Ren. They shared a similar body shape and build but that was where the similarities ended. Where Ren was dark in hair and eyes and aloof in appearance, the Easterner was fair in hair with blue eyes. The handsome young man was everything that Lory imagined a Nordic god would be. That was if the mythic god was exhausted and emotionally spent. Emotions played easily across the young man's face. Hope, disappointment, anger, and finally curiosity flowed through his eyes in rapid succession.

Lory held out his hand and introduced himself.

"I'm Lory Takarada and I understand you are trying to travel to Trails End in search of your missing sibling. I live on a ranch outside Trails End and I have some information that you will want to hear."

The hope crept back into Kuon's face and his shoulders straightened slightly. He invited the older cowboy into the room. The room was significantly smaller than the room Lory and Hikaru were placed with Kyoko. Only a double bed, a wooden chair, and a small washstand occupied the space. The space at the end of the bed would only allow the tall young man a few steps to pace. The frazzled young blond motioned Lory to the chair while he sunk onto the bed.

Lory could not help but chuckle when he noticed the large nightshirt handing across the brass rail on the bottom of the bed. It was identical in size and color to the worn shirt that Kyoko had been wearing for the past couple days.

"Well, now I know where she stole her nightshirt," the cowboy laughed.

Kuon frowned in confusion and Lory laughed even harder.

"Good Lord, she played you perfectly," he announced when he recognized the same exact expression that their little cook used when she was frowning.

"Sorry," Lory apologized as he controlled his mirth. It had been a long and stressful couple of days and so the bit of humor helped the cowboy relax. He took a deep breath.

"You will be happy to know that I have made the acquaintance of Miss Mogami. She is a delightful young woman and I know that she will be thrilled that you came for her."

"You can help me get to her?" Kuon asked as the excitement and hope bloomed in his expression until he practically glowed with it.

For a heartbeat, Lory was struck by the raw feelings churning from the suddenly radiant young man. He nodded for he was momentarily struck dumb by the sight. Kuon whooped and Lory found himself crushed in a hug that rendered him unable to breath.

Dropping his arms, Kuon spun and grabbed his bag from under the bed.

"When can we go? How long will it take to get to Trails End?" he demanded in an excited voice as he started to speculate on all he would need to do before they could leave the hotel to head south.

Lory shook his head.

"I can take you to her now but I need you to calm down first," the cowboy warned.

Kuon stilled. A throbbing pain like a punch in his gut nearly leveled him as he read the sudden sorry and worry in the older man's eyes.

"I need you to understand that Miss Mogami is sick. Very sick," Lory added. The cowboy didn't want to crush the young man's enthusiasm but he knew it would be best to warn him.

Sorrow and worry reappeared on Kuon's face.

"She may be sick but at least you don't have to wait to see her," Lory encouraged as he laid his hand on the younger man's arm. "She is downstairs."

The look of shock on Kuon's face was almost immediately overtaken by desperate need.

"Where?" he demanded as he rushed to the door and flung it open.

Barely contained energy rolled from Kuon's body as he followed the significantly calmer cowboy down the stairs to their room. When the pair entered the larger, more comfortably decorated room, Kuon barely noticed the other cowboy who had shared dinner with him. He only had eyes for the flushed teen dozing fitfully on the bed. Unable to stop himself, Kuon rushed to the bedside and gathered Kyoko, blanket and all, in his arms. He hugged her desperately as all the tension and distress from the past couple months suddenly left his body.

Pain from her broken rib and her injury shot through the teen's body. A pitiful whimper issued from Kyoko's lips as she moved against the embrace.

"Be careful. She's hurt," warned Hikaru at the same time as Kyoko cried in pain.

Kuon immediately pulled back from the embrace and gently returned her body to bed. He frowned as he became aware of the unpleasant odor of infection surrounding Kyoko.

Golden eyes opened in response to the sudden pain. They focused slowly on the blue eyes and handsome face wavering above her.

"Kuon…" the young woman whispered in disbelief as her hand reached for his face. Her shaking fingertips tentatively touched his cheek. The handsome blond leaned into the caress and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'm here, Kyoko. Everything will be better soon. I promise," he whispered in return as his own hand covered her smaller one. Kuon gently held her palm against his cheek for a few heartbeats as he reveled in the calming presence that he had so sorely missed.

Silent tears slipped from Kyoko's glassy eyes as a pitiful pout settled on her chapped lips.

"I hurt," she whimpered. "I wanna go home, Kuon."

"Soon, princess," Kuon promised. "Soon."

Stripped of all energy yet confident that her adored brother would make everything better, Kyoko closed her eyes and relaxed back into the oblivion of sleep. Her adopted brother watched her silently until he was sure she was unaware once more. He then turned to the two cowboys and demanded answers. Both Hikaru and Lory explained as best that they could. Lory conveyed the circumstances that placed her on the cattle drive then Hikaru explained about the rustlers. They made sure that Kuon knew that the doctor treated her and was supposed to return some time tonight to check on her.

Kuon glanced around the room. Moving confidently, he went to the washstand and poured water from the pitcher into the basin. The university student unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled the sleeves up his forearms. Kuon scrubbed his hands with the perfumed soap that was sitting on the dish beside the basin. He rinsed his hands and returned to the bedside.

Even though Kyoko was unaware of his words, the doctor-to-be spoke quietly to her.

"Okay, princess. Let's see what's going on," he stated as he pulled back the blanket.

Although slightly surprised that the teen wore nothing but a bandage around her chest and stomach, Kuon did not allow it to faze him. He glanced over his shoulder and asked calmly about her garments.

Embarrassed, Hikaru, who was staring uncomfortably at the floor, mumbled that she only had the one shirt while motioning towards the dirty and rank smelling nightshirt tossed in the corner of the room. Kuon nodded in understanding as he started to remove the bandage over Kyoko's wound. As he worked, he asked Hikaru if he would go to his room and retrieve his clean nightshirt from the bottom of his bed.

Thrilled for an excuse to be out of the room while Miss Mogami's body was once more uncovered, the younger cowboy hastened from the room. The young man might find the young woman attractive but he felt a bit like a dirty old man stealing peeping glances at her when she was receiving medical care. It made him feel queasy. The memory of Ren glaring at him in a manner he had never experienced previously did not help matters either.

The door closed behind Hikaru. Lory approached the bed to see if the wound had improved.

Kuon sucked air rapidly through his clenched teeth when he saw the flaming skin and puss at the wound site. He recognized the signs of serious infection and it scared him greatly. Pushing aside the fear because Kyoko needed him, Kuon stayed focused on his task at hand.

"When is the doctor supposed to return?" Kuon asked as he set the bandage lightly over the wound and covered Kyoko once more with the blanket.

"He was treating someone when Hikaru went to get him earlier this evening," Lory explained. "I would have expected him by now."

"We don't have much to work with here," the student doctor lamented as he glanced around the room. "We need to get her fever down so it doesn't leave her addled and we need to try to draw out the infection. Do you think you can get some hot water and towels from the proprietress?"

Lory agreed and quickly left to secure the request. Hikaru returned while he was gone and Kuon asked if he could try to get the doctor again. The young cowboy tossed the nightshirt on the end of the bed. Hikaru happily agreed to check in with the doctor across the street and once more exited the room.

Finally alone with the young woman, Kuon gently brushed his fingers through her sweaty locks.

"Don't leave me again, princess," he murmured as tears rimmed his eyes. Gently, he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm not sure I can survive in the darkness without you."

After steadying his nerves once more and swiping at his red-rimmed eyes, Hizuri retrieved the washcloth from beside the basin. With soapy water, he cleaned the wound as best as he could as he tried to ignore the pained utterances from his little patient. As he finished cleaning the wound, Lory entered the room with a bucket of steaming water and an armload of towels. Kuon soaked one of the towels in the hot water. Gingerly, so that he did not scald himself, the young man wrung the excess water from the towel. He placed the folded and heated material over Kyoko's wound.

Kyoko hissed and her eyes opened as her hand scrambled towards the hot towel.

"Leave it alone," growled Kuon as he caught his adopted sister's hand. Although the hot compress was painful, she obeyed him. While Kuon dealt with the heated compress, he encouraged Lory to bath Kyoko's face, arms and neck with cold water. Lory was about to leave to retrieve more water when Hikaru returned with the news that the doctor was still delivering a baby and so his wife would have him come over as soon as he returned. More than happy to continue his job of fetch, Hikaru went for the water instead of Lory.

Time passed slowly as Kuon worked on trying to draw and clean the infection from the wound and so he asked questions about the cattle drive and Kyoko's strangely acquired job. Hikaru rocked slowly on the chair as he told tales of their trip. Both cowboys raved about what a great job the young Eastern gal did. Hikaru made a point of stressing how she had fooled them all with her disguise until she was hurt. Lory snorted at the claim while proclaiming that he figured it out long before that point. He even admitted that Deche knew before they even left on the drive.

"Really?" Hikaru uttered in amazement.

Lory chuckled.

"Of course. He's been calling her a pretty young woman from what, the second or third day she was at the ranch? We just didn't know any better."

Kuon shook his head and smiled at the dazed young woman on the bed. He always knew she was something impressive, but he was still surprised at how well she adapted to her western adventure. When Lory conveyed the story about nailing the rattlesnake in the head with her knife and saving Hio's life, Kuon's blue eyes widened in concern over the dangerous situation but felt proud of her bravery and deadly aim.

Hikaru had just started the story about Kyoko falling asleep in her beans when Kyoko began to murmur.

"No... no..." she cried as her body began to thrash as if she was moving through very thick liquid. "No... Deche... sorry... didn't mean to hurt you... can't sew it shut... no... no... Mr. Takarada, please don't make me... please."

Kuon attempted to calm the agitated teen. As his hands touched her shoulders, he barely kept from cussing. Scooping her slight form into his arms along with the bed sheet to protect her modesty, Kuon stated that she needed a cold bath immediately as he headed for the door. The Easterner explained that there were two small bathhouse rooms on the first floor. Lory and Hikaru exchanged a meaningful look and the younger cowboy offered to stay in case the doctor arrived. Quickly, Takarada followed the young blond into the hallway en route to the hotel bathing area.

Just like her mid-morning chilled bath, Kyoko protested the cold water needed to combat her rising fever. She cried and pleaded but Kuon just gritted his teeth as she begged him to save her from freezing to death. Even the mature and time hardened cowboy found himself pained to hear more of the desperate pleas. Slowly, Kyoko's thrashing and begging subsided into little more than whimpers and chattering of teeth. She hadn't eaten in more than two days and lacked the energy for any more fight.

Lory exchanged the warmed water from the tub with fresh cold water while Kuon cradled the shivering teen against his soaked chest. Kuon had just returned Kyoko to the newly refilled tub when Dr. Walborn knocked on the door and pushed his way into the room. Behind the doctor, Hikaru waited in the hallway.

After spending the past six hours with a patient who finally birthed a healthy son, the doctor looked a little rumpled but he still conveyed a keen interest in his injured and ill patient.

"She was coherent for a short period of time this evening but now she is back to making no sense," Lory stated to sum up the time the doctor had been away.

With a sigh, the doctor replied that they better take her back to his office for a thorough exam.

Kuon lifted Kyoko from the tub and Lory helped wrap her in the sheet. They then trooped across the street to the office. The doctor's wife came downstairs from their home on the second floor and helped light lamps while once more Kuon unwrapped the now damp sheet from around Kyoko. Both the doctor and Kuon cussed quietly as they noticed the tiny black dots forming inside the wound.

With a deep sigh, Dr. Walborn reached once more for his surgical kit although he doubted it would do any good. The tissue was dying and it was his experience that once that started, there was nothing to do but keep the patient comfortable for as long as possible. If her injury had been on a limb, he would have recommended amputating it but with it placed on her torso, there really was not other options.

As he pulled one of his small scalpels from the brass trimmed box, Kuon placed his hand on his arm.

"Wait."

"The tissues dying. We need to remove it if she is going to stand a chance of recovery," the doctor stated softly and without any hope in his voice.

"Have you read Dr. J. F. Zacharias' paper on how he treated necrotic tissue while working as a Confederate medical officer?" Kuon inquired without removing his restraining hand from the doctor's arm.

Dr. Walborn shook his head. He didn't get much chance to read anything medically related on a regular basis. What he did get to read was mostly stuff that was out of date even when he was in medical school.

"He used the larvae of the green blow fly to prevent gangrene in wounded soldiers. In a single day, the maggots would clean a wound much better than any other agents. He saved many lives with their use."

"Where did you read that?"

"School. I attend the medical school at the University of Pennsylvania."

The doctor frowned.

"Would it have to be blow worm flies or would any larvae work?"

"I would guess any that lay their eggs in dead flesh would work," Kuon speculated.

"That's all well and good but where do we get the maggots?" the doctor countered.

"Um, there are occasionally cattle killed at the yards when they are first brought in. The yard hands will do that if they suspect one of the animals is sick," Hikaru volunteered. "There is a special area where they quarantine then slaughter the animals. Perhaps there would be some there?"

It was a small chance but it was better than doing nothing. Hikara and Kuon each took a lantern and Kuon grabbed a small surgical bowl from the counter after securing the doctor's promise not to cut into his sister until he returned.

"Make sure you check with the security at the yard before you start wandering around," warned Lory. "We don't need you both shot up too."

Less than an hour later, the two midnight maggot searchers returned with wiggling larvae in hand.

Lory dragged Kyoko once more from the fever tub and laid her on the examination table. He stepped back to stand beside Hikaru who was wiping his newly scrubbed hands on his jeans.

"I am never doing that again," Hikaru whispered with a shudder to his older friend as the pair of cowboys watched Kuon rinse the wigging fly larvae with clean water. Both men shuddered as the medical student counted then dumped the tiny maggots into the infected wound. He then covered the wound with a clean bandage.

"Now we wait," Kuon stated.

"No, now we sleep," the doctor countered as he requested that his wife bring a new sheet in which to wrap the patient so that she could be taken back to the hotel for the rest of the night.

With a promise to check in with them first thing in the morning, the doctor shooed the three men and his young patient out the door.

Returning once more to their hotel room, Kuon settled the still feverish and dozing young woman on the bed. Loath to leave Kyoko after finally finding her, the Easterner offered the use of his bed to the two cowboys. Deferring the bed to Lory, Hikaru grabbed his blanket and settled onto the rug he had dragged to the corner of the room. Lory excused himself to rest his weary body in a real bed for the first time in months. When the door closed behind Takarada, Kuon extinguished the lamp on the stand and the room became shadowed in darkness. From his seat on the edge of the bed, Kuon listened to Hikaru begin to snore lightly. Absently, the handsome young man gently brushed his fingers through Kyoko's short hair. Occasionally, his adopted sister would murmur something nonsensical then return to sleep.

The pull of exhaustion finally rendered itself insurmountable for Kuon. Slipping into the bed beside Kyoko, the university student lay on his back. He gently pulled Kyoko towards him until she was resting in the crook of his arm with her head pillowed on his shoulder. With a contented sigh and a prayer for her safety, Kuon closed his eyes and relaxed. As he was on the edge of sleep, his blue eyes suddenly flew open as Kyoko mumbled once again in her sleep.

"Kiss me again, Ren," she begged softly. "Please."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: okay... who issued this western challenge? As I write this story, I so want to change the rules and disregard my outline so that Kyoko ends up with the guy I now want her to have *sigh* Stupid challenge rules... *grumble, grumble* - Me**


	17. On the Horizon

Darkness still hugged the sky as the dark wood hotel door slammed open. Confident steps stalked across the carpeted floor. The avenging angel was followed by a scowling, silent man dressed in a wrinkled, travel stained suit. The small, frowning woman slammed open one of the interior doors of the hotel suite and stormed into the dark room. She reached the bed before the occupant had a chance to react to the sharp bark of the door hitting the wall.

"Shotaro Fuwa!" screeched the petite form of his mother as she ripped the blankets from her son's shifting form. Grabbing the teen by his ear, she dragged the young man from the bed.

"Mother?" Sho stammered in surprise and horror as he stumbled from the bedclothes.

His blue eyes grew larger as he noticed the shadow of his father standing with his arms crossed in the dim light of the open doorway.

"Um, hi dad," he sheepishly called to the still silent figure looming across the room. His father just shook his head and turned from the bed chamber in disappointment. The older man had desperately hoped that the staff who telegraphed them in New York had been wrong that their son had returned to Richmond without the Hizuris' adopted daughter. Despite their pending plans to travel to Chicago to oversee the final phases before their newest hotel opened, the Fuwas had instead immediately boarded a southern bound train.

His wife propelled her son from the opulent bedroom into the formal sitting room of the most expensive suite in their southern hotel. The elder Fuwa lit the gas lamp on the wall as he was joined by his wife and son.

Turning to the still groggy and only partially covered young man, James Fuwa made one simple question.

"Where is she, you idiot?"

Contrition and embarrassment warred across his son's expressive face as he admitted that he had no clue.

"You are so lucky Mrs. Hizuri went home last week when we left for New York," his mother stated as she sunk into one of the plush chairs. "She would have killed you with her bare hands for returning home without the Little Miss."

Sho flopped dejectedly into the chair positioned at an angle to his mother's seat.

"I would have brought her back if I knew where the blazes she was, Mother," he lamented before brushing his messy blond hair out of his eyes. "She ran off and left me somewhere in Texas."

"And why was Miss Mogami even in Texas?" growled his father in disgust.

James and Kuu had been fast friends since childhood but he doubted their friendship would survive the fiasco his son caused. The older Fuwa male shuddered as he contemplated just what his friend was going to do now.

"What were you thinking when you took a sweet, innocent, and utterly vulnerable young woman into the uncivilized wilds of the west? Did you at least visit the justice of the peace on your travels or is her reputation ruined too?"

Sho shook his head in horror. Of course he hadn't eloped with Kyoko. That was the entire reason he ran away in the first place. He didn't' want to marry her and begin a boring life running hotels.

James groaned.

"You are beyond an idiot and if Julienne does not kill you, you can bet that Kyoko's father or brother will."

Sho cringed. Although the young man doubted the elder Hizuri male was capable of violence upon his person, he had always feared the older, more robust Hizuri kid. Since the time he was ten or so, he had gotten weird feelings whenever Kuon saw him playing with his little sister. The feelings had only gotten worse as they matured. A chilling sweat broke out on Sho's body as he considered for the first time that he might truly be in personal danger because of dragging Kyoko into such a mess.

Noticing her son's suddenly pale face, his mother patted his arm.

"We'll take care of it, Shotaro. I won't let anything bad happen to you," she promised.

"Phht, even if you do deserve it," muttered his disgusted father.

"Actually, he really doesn't deserve to be murdered by the little chit's family," a firm yet feminine voice stated from across the room.

Both of Sho's parents gasped at the entrance of the tall, beautiful woman who had just exited the second, smaller bedroom in the suite.

Shoko Aki tightened the tie on the thick robe the hotel staff had kindly offered her when they assisted Sho and his guest to the suite.

"Your son may be at fault for leading Miss Mogami from her home but he is not at fault for her running off from his protection. She chose to do that herself and Sho searched extensively trying to find her. She just seemed to disappear and we were not able to find any trace of her after Masonville. Sho found her luggage for sale at a mercantile shop but the proprietor didn't know anything beyond that the silly little thing purchased a shirt, pants and boots. Then she just seemed to cease to exist."

"Oh, good lord, she's dead. She has to be if there was no other trace of her. Some awful man must have kidnapped her and killed her," wailed Mrs. Fuwa as if such actions happened all the time in the west.

James pinched the bridge of his nose and ordered his wife to calm herself. He then demanded the entire story from his son and his pretty companion. Although Shotaro skirted around the reason for the argument that led to Kyoko leaving him, he did admit to having a falling out with the girl that his parents had expected him to marry. Shoko explained how his son offered her the job of assistant in exchange for a promise of employment at one of his family hotels when he returned home.

"Well, my son is obviously in one piece and heaven knows he couldn't do that on his own so you must have done a decent job," commented the Fuwa patriarch. "Since you have no news on Miss Mogami, we will return to Philadelphia and see if the Hizuris have heard anything. If they have not, we will offer what little information you have added to the situation."

Horror flashed across Sho's face as he stammered that there is no way he could dream of facing the Hizuris. He insisted that one of them would surely choke the life from him.

James sighed.

"You might be right and that is why you will not be seeing them. You will return to Philadelphia long enough to secure the necessary items for an extended trip. You and your new companion will be traveling to Chicago to complete the details for the new hotel."

"But dad," Sho started to whine because he was far from ready to take on the challenge of ensuring their newest hotel was running smoothly.

James' eyes narrowed and his son immediately fell silent. The handsome young man might have stood a chance of wheedling his way out of punishment from his mother but when his father made a decision, it was final. Shotaro would be going to Chicago if it meant being trussed inside a steamer trunk for the entire trip.

"You offered her a job," James continued as he made eye contact with the cunning woman standing behind his son's chair. "This is the one she can have. Assistant manager for the Chicago hotel and full time manager of our idiot son."

Shoko nodded once in agreement to the offer that was so much better than she imagined being given. When Sho huffed in protest of the need for a glorified nanny, the woman flicked him gently on the ear before resting her hand on his shoulder.

"We will be happy to ensure that your new hotel is completely prepared to open," she promised.

"Good," replied James as he offered his hand to his wife. "We will leave for home tomorrow. Hopefully you can keep Sho from doing anything moronic in the mean time."

* * *

><p>"We should be there right before lunch," Ryuutaro stated in an attempt to lessen the obvious worry plaguing their trail boss. The two cowboys sat astride their horses as they observed all the hands moving the cattle across the open plain only a few more hours ride outside of Dodge City.<p>

"I'm sure she is fine," the older rancher added when his words seemed to have no affect on Ren.

Ren just growled in frustration as he spurred his horse back to the drive line. Shaking his head, the older man could not help but smile slightly. Although Ryuutaro knew Ren would have worried about any of the hands if they were injured as badly as their little cook, it was obvious there was more involved. For a moment, the rancher considered his own tumultuous courting of his wife. Ryuutaro offered a quick prayer for Miss Mogami's safety because he heartily wished all the pain yet ultimate joy finding a good wife could offer his younger friend. Whatever the circumstance led to the cute cook to hiding who she really was, Mr. Uesagi fervently hoped the potential couple would be able to overcome it.

Suddenly, Ryuutaro's stomach grumbled at him in protest of the lack of real sustenance provided the hands for breakfast this morning. They had been forced to be happy with burnt coffee and inedible beans compliments of the remaining two Ishibashi cousins. If nothing else, the rancher hoped to once again have the pleasure of enjoying Miss Mogami's cooking abilities. The cowboy nudged his horse into action as he wondered how difficult it would be to convince Ren to allow Miss Mogami to be their cook again next drive. Refusing to believe that the little cook will not survive her injury, he smirked as he realized that he will be the trail boss next time so unless Ren married the little gal, he could ask her anyway. Happy despite his sore stomach, the Dancing Blade rancher turned all his thoughts to his task at hand. Hopefully there would be time enough later to deal with the potentials surrounding their Kuon turned Kyoko.

* * *

><p>Kuon handed the telegraph message to the middle-aged man in the tiny communication office adjacent to the train station. The message to be sent across the wires to Philadelphia was simple. It just stated that Kuon had Kyoko and would be returning with her as soon as they could book passage on an Eastern bound train. The young man hoped that the missive would provide some peace of mind to his devastated parents. He did not mention her injury or illness. His family didn't need anything new to cause them worry.<p>

After thanking and paying the operator, Kuon joined the younger cowboy who had accompanied him on his early morning adventure in exchange for the offer of breakfast. When they left the hotel, Kyoko had still been asleep and Lory had kindly offered to stay with her while the younger men completed their errands. The mismatched duo's next stop was a mercantile office where Kuon purchased his sister an outfit including new under-linens as well as a delicate pair of slippers that matched the skirt and blouse he chose. Although his mother would be horrified, he did not secure any type of corset. He knew there was no way Kyoko's injury would allow the girl to wear the constraining undergarment.

Instead of the boned undergarment, Kuon purchased two work shirts and tossed them to Hikaru as they were leaving the shop on the way to breakfast. He grinned and explained that he noticed that neither Lory nor he had a change of clothes and they were looking the bit worse for wear. Embarrassed but still happy for the gift, Hikaru thanked the Easterner profusely as they settled at a table in a quiet corner of the hotel restaurant for their quick meal. The proprietress dropped a plate of eggs, ham, and biscuits in front of each gentleman. Hikaru thankfully dug into his meal but Kuon merely pushed the well cooked eggs around his plate.

"It's good," Hikaru offered as he broke a piece of biscuit and scooped up some egg on it and shoved it in his mouth. "Not as good as your sister's cooking, but still decent."

Kuon sighed and pushed away his plate slightly in favor of his cup of coffee.

Hikaru noticed the change in his companion's demeanor. Since they woke, the blond had appeared driven to focus on his tasks at hand. Now that his errands were done, he seemed a bit lost.

"Are you okay?" the cowpuncher inquired after he took a gulp of his sugar sweetened coffee.

Kuon frowned before finally meeting his companion's concerned glance.

"Who the hell is Ren?" he finally asked when he could contain the frustration and worry no longer.

Startled by the random yet emotionally conveyed question, Hikaru took another bite of his breakfast before explaining that Ren was his boss. The cowboy described his ranch and his skills on a horse. He extolled the rancher's calm demeanor and gentlemanly attitude.

"Is he someone special to Kyoko?" Kuon asked quietly as the pain in his chest threatened to prevent him from breathing.

Hikaru scratched his head and shrugged as he considered how protective his companion was of his little sister. He decided to save him some worry.

"I don't think so," the cowboy figured. "I mean, we all just found out that Miss Mogami was a female right after she got shot. Only Deche and Lory knew before that and after the rustlers there wasn't any time for getting to be special."

"Don't worry, Mr. Hizuri. Your sister's honor was perfectly safe. Not that you would have to worry about Ren anyway. He is always a proper gentleman. Now if Kijima hadn't been shot, you might have needed to worry about him but he was so busy bleeding, moaning, and sleeping that he didn't have time to hit on your sister."

Kuon nodded his thanks to the friendly young cowboy and smiled at his assurances even though the dread didn't lighten much. Picking up his plate, the easterner explained that he was going to see if Kyoko could eat something this morning. He handed the cash for their meals to the cowboy and excused himself.

Outside the second floor hotel room, Kuon took a few deep breaths and did his best to bury his worry. He knew that Kyoko didn't need him losing his temper right now. Once more he reminded himself that he needed to be strong and that soon he would have his little princess back healthy and whole. Until then, he just needed to maintain his composure. Knowing that his talisman of strength waiting on the other side of the door afforded him the calm he needed to open and door. Juggling the coffee and plate of food, he took a deep breath and returned to his role of big brother once more.


	18. Sparks

When Kuon entered the hotel room, Lory offered him a greeting then excused himself to get his breakfast. As the door closed behind the older cowboy, Kuon set his plate of breakfast on the stand beside the bed.

"Good morning, princess," he teased softly as he rested his hand gently on the young woman's forehead. Kuon was pleased to find that her fever had lowered. Although not quite normal, his adopted sister felt significantly cooler than the previous day.

Groggily, Kyoko opened her golden eyes and croaked a rough good morning to her adored big brother. Kuon offered her a drink to help her throat. With shaking hands, the teen brought the cup of coffee to her lips. She sipped slowly but Kuon soon had to rescue the cup from her trembling grasp before she spilled the contents on herself.

"So how are you feeling?" he inquired as he positioned himself on the edge of the mattress and offered a piece of egg on the fork to Kyoko.

"Um, my head kind of hurts and my tummy is queasy," she admitted before accepting the small bite of food.

After carefully chewing and swallowing, Kyoko added "and my side feels funny. It hurts like before whenever I move or breath too deeply but it now feels kind of itchy and every once in a while I feel this sharp little sting in it that is different from the constant ache."

Her companion nodded. He suspected that the little twinges in her wound were from the maggots but he was not about to explain that to her. Kuon offered Kyoko a small piece of biscuit instead of an explanation, but she shook her head. She felt so dry and dehydrated that the thought of chewing the biscuit made her stomach recoil. Kuon offered her another bite of egg instead and she happily accepted it. A few bites later and even the eggs lost their appeal.

"Once the doctor gets here, we will check your wound again."

Kyoko bit her lip nervously.

"Kuon… will I be okay?" she hesitantly asked.

"Yes, princess," assured the medical student. "You are going to be fine. You are already doing better this morning than you have been in days, right?"

Kyoko nodded. She then nervously pulled at the end of the blanket that was tucked up and secured in place over her chest and under her arms.

"Um… Kuon, can you help me get something to wear?"

Kuon chuckled and grabbed his nightshirt from the bottom of the bed and pulled the huge garment over her head. Much like Deche did a few days ago, the young man assisted her in slipping her arms into the long sleeves. Her adopted brother rolled the sleeves so that her small hands could be seen and he settled the shirt around Kyoko so that she could push down the blanket.

Moving slowly and with her muscles trembling, Kyoko slid to the side of the bed and attempted to stand.

"What are you doing," Kuon demanded softly as he caught the slight girl in his arms and prevented her from collapsing to the floor in a heap.

Kyoko's lower lip quivered.

"I need to use the water closet," she whispered against his chest as she clung to his larger body for support. A blush washed across her pale face as mortification about her utter helplessness swept over her.

"No problem," Kuon immediately consoled as he swept Kyoko into his arms. He shifted her gently to make sure that his nightshirt covered her properly then carried her to the door. With a bit of a bend at the knees and a twist at his waist, Kuon was able to open the door with the hand and arm supporting Kyoko under her knees. He strode purposefully down the hallway and then down the back staircase to reach the short row of water closets that separated the two bathing rooms.

After taking care of her business in the water closet, Kyoko stared longingly at the door to the woman's bathing room. Kuon grinned as he whispered in her ear that she could have a bath after the doctor gives her the okay.

"You're almost a doctor. Can't you give me the okay?" she pleaded as he carried her away from the desired room.

"No," Kuon replied firmly.

"You just don't love me enough," pouted Kyoko.

"Not bloody likely," Kuon muttered in return as his jaw clenched in frustration.

"Sorry, Kuon," Kyoko whispered as she sensed his change in mood and figured he was unhappy with her childish behavior.

"You've done nothing wrong, princess. You don't need to apologize."

Kyoko reached a trembling hand to slide her fingertip across her big brother's pinched brow.

"This certainly looks like a grumpy face to me," Kyoko countered as she shifted her finger down to skim over Kuon's lower lip which was pressed tightly against his upper one and turned down in a small frown.

A shudder ran through Kuon's body at Kyoko's innocent touch. He closed his suddenly panic-filled blue eyes and took a deep breath as the young man tried desperately to control himself.

"Not yet," he silently warned himself although he realized that he was going to lose the battle very soon.

"It's okay, big brother," Kyoko whispered as her fingers ghosted down his cheek, then his neck and shoulder until her palm rested over his heart. "Whatever is bothering you will be better soon," she innocently promised. A stabbing pain at the reminder of his unwanted status of older sibling twisted the imaginary knife in his heart.

Kuon offered Kyoko a strained smile.

"I hope so, princess. I truly hope so."

* * *

><p>Koun and Kyoko had just settled once more in the hotel room when the doctor arrived to check on his patient. Dr. Walborn was thrilled to see the improvement in Miss Mogami. Suddenly nervous and a bit shy, Kyoko stammered a greeting to the doctor who seemed to know her but she did not remember at all.<p>

The doctor returned her greeting as he washed his hands at the washstand and dried his hands on the hand towel provided. He then approached the bedside.

When Dr. Walborn reached forward to move Kyoko's borrowed nightshirt in order to reveal her bandaged wound, the young woman flinched from his touch. The small man promised not to hurt her but Kyoko was still uncomfortable with his hands on her body. Kyoko had never been very comfortable trusting others who she did not know well touching her. Julienne had once speculated to Kuu that it was because of the abuse she suffered before she came to live with them.

Kuon took her hand and squeezed it until she met his gaze. He understood her issue and wanted her to feel safe.

"It will be fine, Kyoko. I am here. He is not going to hurt you," her adopted brother soothed.

Confident that her brother would protect her from real harm, she nodded once and then relaxed so that the doctor could properly examine her injury.

Gently as possible, Dr. Walborn removed the wrapping and bandage from her lower chest. He was amazed to see the improvement in the skin around the wound. It was no longer inflamed or bright red. The site no longer felt burning to the touch either.

"Amazing," the doctor murmured with a fascinated grin on his face as he prodded the open wound.

Kyoko flinched at the pain of his touch and looked at the injury. She suddenly screeched and tried to swipe at the wound as she noticed a wiggling, disgusting and swollen creature of some sort moving along the edge of the now pink and healthy fleshed injury.

"Don't touch it," warned Kuon as he caught her hands and held her still.

"There's a worm… a worm," Kyoko panicked as her breathing became rapid and she tried to wiggle free of the blond man's restraining grasp.

"Kyoko," ordered Kuon firmly and the teen paused in her panic. "They're supposed to be there. They are magic worms."

Kyoko frowned at her adopted brother as she was torn between the panic that some kind of creepy creature was inside her body and the strange excitement that a magic creature was somehow involved in her treatment.

"Trust me," Kuon stressed. "Those magic worms are making sure that you get better."

Kyoko's shuddering breathing evened and her trusting expression returned to her face. She offered Kuon a small smile which he returned easily.

"Now let me check and see if they did all their magic," he stated as he shifted his attention to the wound site.

"I don't see any more dead tissue," the doctor stated as he held back the skin for Kuon to be able to see too.

Kyoko shuddered at the pain of the prodding but she did not move or cry.

"I think that they did their job," Dr Walborn stated and Kuon nodded in agreement when he too saw no sign of dark tissue in the now pink wound.

Shifting back towards the top of the bed, Kuon drew Kyoko's attention so that the doctor could remove the maggots from her wound. He tilted her head towards him and leaned close to her so that she could not see the doctor working. By the time the doctor was finished and bandaged her once more, Kyoko was shaking not from fright but exhaustion and pain. A thin line of tears ran down her cheeks and Kuon gently wiped them away with his thumb. He leaned his forehead against her head and told her how proud he was of her. He then sat back so that the doctor could speak to her.

When the doctor determined that she had eaten a little bit and drank some fluids, he asked about her pain. Kyoko admitted to the sharp pain now in her side and the general ache in her rib. Hoping to relieve her discomfort for the time being, Dr. Walborn offered her a small dose of laudanum since she was no longer in such a fragile position. Laudanum, a mixture of an opiate and alcohol, would dull the pain and Kyoko's consciousness to help her deal with the discomfort while also encouraging the sleep that the doctor felt she would need to help recover.

Not long after the doctor left, Kyoko was asleep. Although he was not sleepy, Kuon settled onto the bed beside the sleeping teen. He lay on his side with his head resting on his bent arm. His fingers fluttered softly through Kyoko's hair in a soothing pattern as he made his plans for them to return home before falling into his favorite daydream. A contented smile settled on his face as he relaxed into his pleasant thoughts.

* * *

><p>At the same time the doctor was visiting Kyoko, Hikaru and Lory were leaning against the fencing near the entrance to the cattle yards. In the distance, they could see a large mass of cattle moving towards them. For a while, they debated whether or not it was the drive from Trails End approaching. Hikaru pointed to the head of the column.<p>

"It's them," he stated. "There's Ren at the head."

Lory squinted and could just make out the rider adeptly leading the mass of animals in the final leg of their long journey. Mounting their horses, Lory and Hikaru rode out to meet them and join in the final maneuvering of the animals. As soon as he saw his ranch hands approaching, a horrible feeling exploded in Tsuruga's guts. He blinked and swallowed. There was no way both cowboys would have left Miss Mogami alone. His mind immediately went to the only logical answer. The pretty little cook was beyond needing protection. Momentarily, Ren's shoulders slumped as the enjoyable plans he had been considering for the past couple days encountered a premature death.

The rancher blinked his eyes to clear his vision. He cussed in frustration and guilt as he realized that he was to blame for the loss. He was the trail boss. He had offered her the job. It had been his responsibility to protect her and he had failed in his duty. Pushing aside the paralyzing emotions that threatened to unman him, Ren forced his attention onto his job with a single-minded purpose that disallowed any distraction. He ran the cattle up to the entrance of the yard and cut his horse sharply to still their forward progress before they actually crushed through the gate and fencing.

Ren dismounted and headed into the yard to register and start the cattle exchange. In small groupings, cattle were led into the enclosure and shuttled down fenced shoots to be counted and examined for obvious signs of disease. Ren stood with one of the yard foremen as the rest of the cowboys kept the animals moving. With the number of cattle transported from Trails End. It would take a long time for all the animals to be herded into the yards.

Taking a break from his filled in place on the drive line, Lory broke away from the job. He tethered his mare and clamored over the wooden fence into the yard. He approached Ren with a frown on his lips and sparks in his eyes. He could not believe that the Dark Moon rancher hadn't bothered to seek an update on the cook. She had been so very sick and Lory thought that Ren truly cared about the youngster. The older cowboy was sorely disappointed in the trail boss and he intended to tell him so in no uncertain terms.

Lory stalked towards Ren with anger flaming in his eyes.

"Don't you even care about what happened?" Lory spat at his ridiculously calm target.

"Now is not the time for this, Lory," Ren stressed calmly.

"Why the hell not?" Lory replied. "It's not like you don't care."

Ren turned to the foreman and asked for his pardon before he moved out of his hearing. Lory followed him.

"Fine, Lory. We should be working now but if you feel the need to beleaguer me with the issue, you have my attention. Go for it," he stated in a barely civil tone.

"I thought you had feelings for her," Lory replied in confusion and a hint of disgust.

Ren pulled off his hat and ran his other hand roughly through his hair. He sighed before returning his hat to its place on his head. His broad shoulders slumped slightly before he caught himself and forced himself back into his normally rigid posture.

"Look, we have a lot of cattle to process, Lory. We can all grieve when the job is done."

"Grieve?" Lory repeated once as he suddenly understood Ren's mistake.

Ren turned to return but Lory caught his arm.

"Boss man," he teased. "She's not dead."

Ren froze for a moment then whipped back to face his old friend. Although his face was blank, his eyes reflected a blossoming hope.

Lory nodded to him.

"She is most assuredly alive and much improved."

A grin broke across Ren's face and Lory immediately felt better. He pulled the key to the hotel room from his pocket and tossed it at the trail boss. Ren deftly caught the brass key with his leather glove covered hand.

"She's at the Dodge City Hotel across the street from the main street doc's office. Room 203."

For a moment, Ren was torn and Lory could read the indecision. If the trail boss had not just been sure that the pretty little woman had been dead, the older cowboy doubted the Dark Moon rancher would have left his job to check on Kyoko. On the heels of the fear of her loss, his desire was evident. Ren desperately wanted to leave the cattle yards. With the return of hope after the blow of thinking her gone, the younger man wanted to confirm for himself that Miss Mogami was truly alive and recovering.

"I'll stay with the foreman. You go check on the little cook. I am sure she would love to see you."

Ren nodded once in thanks to his friend and practically ran to the waiting foreman. He introduced Lory and explained that he would be handling things until he returned. With that fact established, Ren mounted his horse and spurred it into motion.

* * *

><p>A knock issued on the hotel door to room 203 then the key turned in the lock and it opened.<p>

"Hey, Miss Mogami?" Ren called in a tone as close to cheery as he could manage. He had been too excited to wait for the cook to answer and so he had just utilized the key he was given.

The travel-stained cowboy quickly scanned the room as he stepped inside the comfortable room. Immediately, his body shot across the room and grabbed the blond man who was startled from the spot on the bed where he was inappropriately touching _**his**_ little cook. Before the cowboy's mind even realized what he was doing, Ren had hauled the large man away from Kyoko and slammed him against the wall.

Kuon immediately reacted to the attack with a well placed punch to his attacker's gut followed by an uppercut to the cowboy's jaw. Ren's eyes flew open in shock at the powerful attacks as he stumbled back. His Stetson fell from his head from the snap of his head in reaction to the blow. His vision and concentration swam for a moment from the impact but his instincts had him pulling his sidearm even before his knees touched the floor. When Kuon moved forward to follow with another shot to hopefully incapacitate the attacker, he froze in mid-swing as he felt the gun barrel in his ribs.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Ren as he fought to concentrate on the livid features of the blue-eyed blond looming over him.

"Who the hell are you?" Kuon demanded in return as he shook with fury and the need to protect Kyoko from the violent, armed intruder who had entered their room unexpectedly.

"I'm the guy with the gun. So you're the guy who is going to answer my question. Now who the hell are you and what are you doing in Miss Mogami's room."

Kuon's eyes narrowed as he tried to gauge the best way to handle the situation. He had to do something to avoid being shot because he knew that would leave Kyoko vulnerable.

"I'm Kuon Hizuri," the blond stated as he watched for an opening.

For a second, Ren froze at the name but recovered before Kuon could take advantage of the hesitation. The cowboy's gun never wavered.

Kuon's eyes narrowed.

"You're the brother," Ren stated as he slowly stood.

Kuon nodded once.

"Now who are you?" Kuon demanded.

"Miss Mogami's boss, Ren Tsuruga," the dark haired cowboy replied as he returned his revolver to its holster and glanced over at the still sleeping form on the bed.

"So you're Ren," snarled Kuon.

Not expecting the venom in the voice of the older sibling of his cook, Ren started to turn back towards the Easterner. He never made it though as pain exploded once more in his jaw and this time the room went dark.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That was as even as I could make this confrontation so that neither guy totally dominated the other. I firmly believe that Ren would pull his gun to protect Kyoko from an unknown assailant but once he knew that the blond was not a real threat he would back down. Too bad for Ren, Kuon knows he is a threat to what he wants hence why he did not back down. Thoughts? - me**


	19. Of Lovers and Fools

Floating in a sea of darkness, Ren first became aware of the aching pounding in his head. It was a hammering that slowly receded from a piercing agony to a roar of throbbing discomfort. As the cowboy's consciousness slowly battled back the painful darkness, he realized that there were voices in a heated debate in the seemingly impenetrable veil beyond his dimmed vision. Lost in the darkness, the rancher listened to the conversation.

"Do you love him? Is that the problem?" the deep cultured voice inquired.

"NO!" squealed a feminine voice that Ren knew that he should recognize but he could not place at the moment.

"I definitely don't love him," the female's voice stated in a tone that allowed no room for argument or interpretation.

Memories finally surfaced in succession and Ren placed the firm tone as the same one that scolded him about not eating enough and also made sure that the Ishibashis curtailed their more rambunctious antics while they were around the campfire. It was their little cook Kuon's voice. Correcting himself internally, Ren changed the image of the brave youth to the sweet, innocent face of Kyoko.

"Then, you have no reason to worry, princess," the deep voice pressed. "I will take you home and protect you. You have nothing to worry about by going home."

"But..." Kyoko's soft voice challenged.

"Kyoko, if you were in love with him, I could understand you not wanting to go home but you don't love him so why are you resisting. You never need to see him again. I promise. Father and mother miss you. They love you so much. They need you... I need you, princess. Come home."

As he listened to the voices, tightness clasped Ren's chest as he realized that his plans to woo the pretty cook were just wishful dreams. She did not share the same feelings that he had. She wasn't interested in him. Her brother was right. She needed to go home. That thought made his chest hurt right in line with his jaw and his head.

"Damn..." the rancher croaked as he finally forced his eyes open.

"Oh! Mr. Tsuruga!" Kyoko called in an excited voice that made the young rancher flinch. His hands sought the brim of his hat before he moved to push himself to stand.

"Help him up from the floor, Kuon," charged the teen in a firm voice. "Than you need to apologize for punching him."

Both males ignored the demands. Ren levered himself to his feet and moved towards the bed. He stopped when he reached the bottom corner so that he was standing in a mirrored position to the blond already at the other corner. The bookend males at the end of Kyoko's bed were of similar heights and builds. It was almost like they were two sides of the same coin. One was light where the other was dark but both shared a single common focus.

Narrowed blue and brown eyes centered on the strong-willed female sitting on the bed in her borrowed pajama top. Her hair was a tangled mess, she was still slightly flushed from a low grade fever, her lips were badly chapped, and there were dark circles under her golden eyes from her illness. Despite these facts, both the cowboy and the medical student thought her gorgeous as her recovered spirit shown in her eyes and pulsed against their own tattered souls.

"Kuon..." the stern voice stated.

A smile quirked across the handsome blond's lips. He crossed his arms against his impressive chest in defiance of the order.

"I will not apologize, princess. He drew his blasted revolver on me. He deserved it."

Ren snorted and molded his hat with his hands instead of placing it on his head.

Kyoko turned her glare from the fair student to the sun-darkened rancher.

"Mr. Tsuruga will apologize too. Won't you, sir?"

Ren moved his attention from the bossy little cook to her adopted brother. Although his eyes did not reflect real sincerity, he spoke the words requested.

"I am sorry that I pulled my sidearm on you. Perhaps I over-reacted but I was only concerned for Miss Mogami's safety. I did not know who you were and I thought you were a danger to her."

"I am not some deviant," Kuon responded harshly. "I would never hurt Kyoko."

Both men glared at each other for a moment before Kuon uttered his own rather insincere apology.

Aware that this was as good an exchange as she was going to get from the two stubborn men, Kyoko bestowed a glowing smile on each of them. Silence fell in the hotel room. After a few moments of just staring at each other, Ren removed his hat once more and flexed it through his hands again before explaining that he should go back to his job at the cattle yards. Kuon remained silent while his adopted sister agreed happily with the trail boss but begged him to come back for supper. She added that he should bring everyone else who wanted to come too.

"It's their first night in town, Miss Mogami. I will invite everyone to come back to your hotel for supper but I can't guarantee anyone will come. The hands normally want to unwind after being on the trail for so long."

"Will you come?" Kyoko pleaded hopefully.

Ren nodded once in agreement before dropping his hat on his head. He then nodded a curt good-bye to the real Kuon Hizuri before exiting from the room. The two Easterners could hear the heavy footfalls of his leather boots as he moved down the hallway to the stairs.

With a sinking feeling in his chest, Kuon watched Kyoko's eyes follow the handsome cowboy's exit. He worked to contain a sigh as she continued to stare at the closed door with a soft and dreamy expression in her golden eyes. From her reaction, it was obvious that there was more than just a simple kiss at work between Kyoko and the cursed rancher. This knowledge struck like a physical blow to Kuon's gut.

Hoping to sway her still straying attention, Kuon turned to the bed-ridden teen.

"How about a bath?" he proposed.

Kyoko's ensuing squeal of joy and purposeful attention successfully eliminated the blond's building anxiety at least for the moment. Now all he had to do was successfully ensure that Kyoko bathed without embarrassing himself or the pretty young woman he loved. Silently, the medical student called himself all types of a fool as he scooped the girl who saw him as a brother into his arms.

Blissfully unaware of the turmoil she had wrought in both gentleman, Kyoko snuggled happily against Kuon's chest and contentedly listened to his accelerated heartbeat.

* * *

><p>Twilight had firmly settled its grasp on the western town by the time Kyoko and Kuon found their way into the lobby of the hotel. Dressed once more as a young woman instead of a young man, Kyoko appeared only slightly less fragile than she did when wrapped in Kuon's over-sized sleepwear. On shaking legs and stocking feet, Kyoko had slowly made her way across the small hotel lobby. She leaned heavily on her blond escort's strong arm. Kuon had insisted on carrying her down the steps from her rented room but she had stubbornly refused to allow him to carry her everywhere. She wanted to meet her friends while standing on her own feet. Spying a padded bench along the wall opposite the desk behind which the hotel owner currently sat, she shambled towards the resting spot. Exhausted, the teen lowered herself onto the seat to wait to see if any of the hands from the Dark Moon ranch joined her and Kuon for supper.<p>

Kuon reclined on the bench next to Kyoko. He slipped a protective arm around her shoulders which encouraged the teen to rest her head against his shoulder. Without a hesitation, Kyoko leaned against her companion. Concern darkened Kuon's face as he felt the slight shivers of exhaustion haunting Kyoko's muscles. He could also still feel the lightly elevated temperature on her skin as her body fought to heal her injuries. The medical student rubbed her arms to offer comfort. Kyoko sighed and snuggled closer. Her eyes slid shut. She forced them open again but soon her lids dropped once more. She was too exhausted to fight for long.

Fifteen minutes later, her eyes did not open nor her even breathing alter when the front door of the hotel swung open. Kuon's sharp, blue eyes followed the entrance of a large number of men. Each one appeared to be fresh from the bathhouse and dressed in clean work pants and shirts. Recognizing three of the cowboys, Kuon nudged his sleeping companion.

"Princess..." he cajoled. "Princess. It appears that your court has arrived."

"Hmm?" Kyoko murmured in sleepy response as she lifted her head from Kuon's shoulder. Absently, she rubbed her eyes until they chose to focus once more.

She followed Kuon's gesture towards the entrance and grinned wildly in greeting.

"Good evening!" she called in excitement as she pushed herself up from the bench. With the shaking clamor issuing from her muscles, Kyoko did not protest Kuon's arm around her waist as he assisted her to stand and remain upright.

For a moment, the teen was overwhelmed by the happy thrill that so many of the hands from the drive came to see her. Her silent surprise was swept away though when she was immediately surrounded by the crowd of cowpunchers. Laughing, Kyoko found herself swept from Kuon's protective grasp by the Ishibashis. All three surrounded her and placed carefree kisses on her forehead as they gave her gentle hugs. Of course, Shinichi and Yuusei were enthusiastically gushing over her health, appearance, and how much they missed her cooking. Kurosake and Kijima both echoed the Ishibashi cousins' sentiment with their own less exuberant greetings.

A suddenly blushing Hio stepped forward and offered her his hand in friendly greeting to the slightly older girl.

"I never properly thanked you for looking out for me at the camp the night the rustlers came," he stammered in self-conscious embarrassment.

Instead of taking his hand, Kyoko reached forward and gently hugged the youngest cowboy. The ranch hands from both Dark Moon and Dancing Blade hooted and whistled at the soft embrace which caused Hio to sputter in consternation. Laughing gustily, his father stepped forward to save his son the mischievous attention from the transformed cook. Usurping Hio's position, Ryuutaro stole a hug for himself. Leaning down, he whispered his own words of thanks into her ear.

"Thank you for protecting my son when I was not there to do it, Miss Mogami. You cannot know how much it means to me and his mother that you were willing to sacrifice your own safety by interceding with those rustlers even though my hot-headed son did not treat you as well as he should have," he murmured softly before chuckling.

"But I liked your revenge just now," he whispered for just her hearing. "Embarrassing a teen-aged boy in front of the older men he respects. Pure vengeance genius. I suspect you may have a bit of a grudge demon in you, hmm?"

Kyoko stepped back from the older Uesagi's embrace with a smile to match his knowing smirk. A number of hands from the Dancing Blade ranch stepped forward and offered their own well wishes. Kuon, noticing Kyoko starting to shake from the effort of remaining standing, immediately stepped behind her. Mindful of her recovering wound, he casually wrapped his arms around her and the much shorter teen thankfully leaned back against the trusted young man. Most of the men raised questioning glances to the handsome blond protectively holding their young cook which led to Kyoko introducing Kuon to those who had not already met him. Tension released as the cowboys shifted from suspicious to accepting of the Easterner.

Kuon then suggested that they head into the restaurant to eat before the cook left for the night. As the large party moved towards the nicely appointed dining room, Kyoko glanced repeatedly around in hopes of introducing her current protector to the cowboy who had acted as her surrogate brother and protector on the trail. Unfortunately, she could not find Deche. Her golden eyes met Lory's dark gaze and he stepped to her elbow to answer her implied question.

"He is outside," the older cowboy explained which made Kyoko stop walking towards her seat.

"Isn't he coming to eat?" she asked with a worried expression.

Lory shook his head slightly with apparent unhappiness.

"He isn't welcome here," the gentleman admitted with a disgusted expression in his eyes.

"But..." Kyoko started before falling suddenly silent as understanding dawned.

"Should we eat somewhere else?" she timidly suggested as she glanced at the three long tables the cowhands had pushed together to make one long communal table.

Sadly, Lory shook his head.

"Very few places in Dodge City would welcome him and those that would, aren't fit for you, Little Miss."

"But..."

Lory gently turned Kyoko back to the table and assured her that their friend would be waiting for them when they were done eating. The mature cowboy whispered to the worried young woman that Deche would never wish to make a scene so he will be quietly waiting for them to finish their meal. Kyoko hastily promised that she would take her brother to meet him as soon as they were done eating.

Despite the missing Indian, the meal was still pleasant. Apprehension growing in his chest, Kuon watched as Kyoko seemed to glow under the rough yet affectionate attention of the Texans. She truly was like a queen overseeing her adoring court. Kuon couldn't help but notice the teen take a number of fleeting glances at the dark-haired owner of the Dark Moon ranch throughout the meal. Seemingly unfazed by the attention, Ren ate mostly in sullen silence while responding only when prodded.

At the end of the meal, Kuon accompanied Kyoko outside to meet Deche who was patiently waiting among the large collection of horses tethered outside the hotel. Hesitantly, the teen offered the Indian a pilfered cloth napkin wrapped around a biscuit, some cheese, and sliced ham. He accepted the food with an indulgent smile before shifting his attention to the young man with his left arm around the teen's waist to offer her support and protection.

"This is my big brother," Kyoko explained happily. By the light from the lanterns lining the hotel front, Deche noticed the twitch of the eyelid on the handsome blond when the little cook introduced him as her brother.

"I'm Kuon. Kuon Hizuri," the Easterner offered quickly as he thrust out his right hand. "I owe you a debt of gratitude for helping protect Kyoko."

Deche hesitated only a second before joining hands to shake with the thankful young man.

"I was honored to be her babi' in your stead," he solemnly intoned.

"What will you do now?" Deche then asked quietly as the rest of the Trails End cowboys collected their horses and began to disperse in the direction of the more raucous sounds of entertainment a few streets away.

"I hope to purchase tickets for the train East tomorrow," Kuon explained. "Kyoko is strong enough to travel now so I should get her home as soon as possible."

Deche watched the possessive yet tender expression in the younger man's eyes. He nodded in understanding.

"Then I will wait to leave with the chuck wagon until you leave," the Indian explained before wishing them both a good nights rest and mounting his horse to leave. The dark skinned man watched as the large blond man assisted the slip of a girl with the powerful spirit back into the hotel. Alone once again, Deche directed his horse towards the outskirts of town where he would sleep with the remaining ramuda and the chuck wagon.

The next morning, Kuon packed quickly and shuffled Kyoko and their minimal luggage to the train station. After assisting her onto the platform and then onto a wooden bench, the Easterner glanced about the station for the ticket seller so he could purchase their passage home. Kuon glanced once more at his companion who seemed pensive and sedate and not at all like her normal happy morning self.

"Are you sure you feel alright?" he inquired with concern. "We could wait to leave for a couple more days if you are too uncomfortable."

Kyoko just shook her head sadly as she stared into the distance.

"Will you be okay if I go and purchase the tickets or do you want to come along?" her companion asked.

Before she can answer, a rambunctious disturbance erupted near the end of the train platform. A grin skirted across Kyoko's lips for the first time this morning as she recognized the source. The Ishibashi cousins where bickering loudly yet with good-natured humor as they vaulted onto the raised train station platform without the assistance of the stairs. Behind them, Ren, Lory and Deche traveled to the middle of the raised stage to use the steps. The cowboys converged on the two Easterners amidst mostly happy greetings. Only Shinichi whined slightly about the early hour and his pounding head. Kyoko shook her head in sympathy at his sorry state of hang-over.

"We could not let you leave, Little Miss. Not without a proper good-bye," Lory expressed before plopping onto the bench beside Kyoko.

Knowing that Kyoko was safe without him now, Kuon moved towards the ticket agent. Before he reached the small outbuilding, he noticed footsteps behind him. He turned.

"Good morning, Mr. Tsuruga," Kuon greeted as he stilled to find out what the rancher wanted from him.

"Mr. Hizuri," Ren replied with a sturdy nod.

"Did you want something?"

Ren stuck his hand towards Kuon. In it was a wad of bills. Kuon raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"It's Miss Mogami's wages for the drive. She earned them."

"Thank you," Kuon replied as he stuffed the bills into his breast pocket. "I will make sure she gets it."

For a long moment, Ren just stared at the blond. He took a deep breath. The rancher could have just as easily given the money to the one who earned it but he had wanted an excuse to speak with the very special young woman's sibling.

"You'll make sure she is happy, right?" Ren demanded.

"Of course," Kuon replied honestly. That had always been the medical student's more fervent wish even before Kyoko disappeared.

"Good," the rancher affirmed before turning abruptly and pacing back to his companions. As he approached, he could hear Lory asking Kyoko one last time if she wanted to stay with them. Kyoko glanced towards Ren but all he showed her was a blank face. Her shoulders slumped just slightly before turning towards Lory.

"I'm going home."

The cowhands fell silent for a moment before Hikaru stepped forward. He placed a soft kiss on Kyoko's forehead. The oldest Ishibashi shared a warm smile with the teen.

"Have a safe trip, Miss Mogami. Make sure you come and see us again some time. Promise?"

Kyoko nodded.

Hikaru's cousins then stepped forward and each patted her on her shoulder while offering their good-byes. Surprisingly sedate, the three young men stepped away from the bench to allow Deche to step forward. The Indian knelt in front of Kyoko and took her pale shaking fingers in his own dark calloused hands. He offered her a tight little smile that meant more to the young woman than full grins on most men's faces would convey.

"Be happy and safe, Nammi," he whispered before leaning up and placing a soft kiss on her cheek. With his normal serious expression chiseled back on his dark and stoic face, Deche stood and stepped away from the young girl who he had come to see as a little sister.

Kyoko turned to Lory and offered him a tentative smile even though her eyes were rimmed with tears.

"Tell Maria and her father that I said good bye," she requested. "And please let Mr. and Mrs. Miller know how much I appreciated their kindness."

Lory patted Kyoko's hand and promised to do so. He then stood and moved to the stairs where his companions waited.

Miserable, Kyoko stared at her feet until a pair of dark leather cowboy boots stepped into her vision. Slowly, she raised her head until her golden eyes met the dark eyes of the Dark Moon owner. Shaking, she pushed herself to stand. She concentrated on remaining standing despite the protest of her fatigued and weakened muscles.

"Thank you, Mr. Tsuruga," she whispered nervously as she lowered her gaze and twisted her hands against their resting spot on her stomach.

"You're welcome," Ren intoned stiffly.

The two stood uncomfortable in the other's presence as unfulfilled desires warred with their insecurities. The awkward moment grew. Ren was wrapped in his shattered fantasy while Kyoko was lost in her own insecurity brought on by the hurt Shotaro left in her self-confidence. A sudden thump made both jump slightly. The moment of growing feeling was broken. They quickly glanced at Kuon who had grabbed the two bags of luggage and handed them to the porter to be placed on the train which was waiting along the edge of the raised platform.

Kuon returned to the pair.

"Time to go, princess," he prodded as he placed his arm around the slight young woman in order to draw her towards the train pointed East. A whistle blew to announce the impending departure of the the train. Gently nudging Kyoko into moving, Kuon assisted the teen to the steps of the passenger train. Tears threatened to fall from her golden gaze as she paused on the first step. She turned.

Ren was standing near the bench now surrounded by his ranch hands and friends. His eyes never left the young slip of a woman who had so captured his thoughts.

"Mr. Tsuruga..." Kyoko called in a trembling voice right before the whistle blew one more time. Kuon gently wrapped his arms around Kyoko's middle as he bent to whisper something in her ear.

The Ishibashis and Lory raised their hands in farewell as twin tracks of tears raced down Kyoko's cheeks.

"Aiweape," hissed Deche under his breath to Ren who remained standing silently with no expression on his face.

Lory flinched as his friend called their boss a crazy fool but he unfortunately had to silently agree.

"That man is not a babi'; he is a dehainji," added Deche as he shook his head in frustration at the stubborn inaction of his boss and friend.

That caught Lory's attention and his gaze shifted from Kyoko to the young man holding her tenderly in his arms. He was the only one who knew what Deche meant by a dehainji. He drew his breath quickly as he noticed the subtle truth in Deche's announcement. The blond man's feelings were written in obvious display on his face and his manner for anyone who might suspect the truth.

The whistle shrieked one last time before the iron horse shifted to pull from the station. Kuon moved Kyoko from the open stairs into the closed passenger car.

Deche turned from the train. His final harsh words stabbed straight to Ren's clenching heart.

"He is definitely a lover and not a brother and you, my friend, are a blasted fool."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here is the warning... it is hockey playoffs... updates will be sporadic for a while... sorry but the puck calls and I am a slave to its siren's song - me**


	20. A Matter of Choice

The two Easterners sat beside each other on a thinly padded bench seat in one of the four private passenger rooms in the second to last car pulled by the East bound train. The companions had endures a subdued atmosphere since leaving the station in Dodge City a few hours ago and the tension was beginning to grate of Kuon's nerves.

"It'll be okay, princess," Kuon promised as he gently touched Kyoko's pale cheek. Her skin still felt warm against his palm but at least it was no longer blazing with fever. The swaying of the train car and the constant thump of the tracks filled the silence after his soft statement.

Kuon glanced at his companion in hopes of reading some sort of non-verbal reaction. The desolate expression still on the delicate teen's face stabbed deeply into her adopted brother's chest.

"Does your side bother you?" he inquired hoping to spur some exchange with the obviously depressed young woman.

Kyoko shook her head in denial.

"It still hurts but less than before," she replied before falling silent once more. Silently, she turned her head and stared out the window. For a while, Kyoko watched the grassland roll past in unchanging repetition. Her expression likewise remained unchanged.

"Are you worried about Mother and Father? They won't be angry with you, Kyoko. They understand that you left to be with Shotaro. They still love you. They were just worried. Their arms will be open and waiting for you when we arrive."

"I deserve to be yelled at not hugged," Kyoko replied honestly. She realized how foolish and gullible she had been and how badly she had hurt her adopted family by leaving with her false prince. Threads of guilt wormed into her already established sadness and her eyes burned as she fought the desire to cry.

"You're wrong, Kyoko," Kuon insisted as he wrapped his arm around her slight body and pulled her against his side. Listlessly, the teen settled her head on his strong shoulder. "Yes, you should not have run away from home but it was a mistake. I simple mistake because you trusted the wrong person. The wrong person that your parents happened to misjudge too. You are not to blame for your actions. Mother and Father understand this. You were led astray. I do not blame you. I blame that lousy Fuwa worm."

"It wasn't all Sho's fault, Kuon," Kyoko countered softly.

The tall blond stiffened and pulled away from his companion as if she had struck him.

"You said that you don't love him anymore. Why would you defend him? The bastard stole you from your family who loves you," Kuon bit verbally. "He left you alone and defenseless in the middle of nowhere!"

"You still love him, don't you?" Kuon accused her.

Kyoko likewise drew away from her livid sibling. She had already had this conversation back in Dodge City while waiting for the trail boss from Trails End to wake. She had thought he accepted her destroyed feelings about Sho. Kyoko had believed that Kuon understood where she stood in regards to her fallen prince. Her face flushed with a combination of anger and shame. Her golden eyes snapped and life surged in her body for the first time since she stepped onto the train.

"I don't love him!" she shouted in return. "He's a jerk… a turd… he's… he's… he's the slimy dregs at the bottom of the pot of pork and beans that is even too gross to feed to the pigs."

Kyoko sat stiffly on the padded bench seat. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to catch her breath after her outburst. Her cracked rib ached with each breath and her muscles protested her jerked movement. Her muscles, deprived for so long of proper nourishment and fluid, began to shake as it tried to process the sudden adrenaline rush her anger induced.

Across from Kyoko on the bench, Kuon just stared at her for a moment with barely contained pain and betrayal flitting through his eyes. The anger drained from the young woman. She had been so close to her adopted brother for so long that she could easily read the feelings reflected in his expression. Although she did not understand why he felt so betrayed when he insisted that he did not blame her, Kyoko realized that he was hurting. Abandoning her own sorrow and lingering frustration, the teen reached for her companion and wrapped her small arms around his muscled torso. It was second nature for her because she had been reaching to Kuon for most of her life. He had long been her source of comfort just as she was for him.

"I'm sorry, big brother," she murmured against his chest.

Kyoko felt Kuon stiffen in her embrace.

Because she thought he was rejecting her statement about Sho and her apology, Kyoko continued to plead her case.

"I really don't love him anymore and I am not afraid of seeing him when I go home. I just… well… I just need you and Mother and Father to know that it wasn't all Sho's fault. It would be wrong to lay all the blame at his feet. I was too blame too."

"From the moment Father introduced me to Sho, it had been assumed we would be a couple. I know that Father and Mr. Fuwa planned it from the start but I didn't mind. Sho was the prince just like in all those stories you used to read to me, Kuon."

Kyoko leaned back from the embrace so that she could see and gauge her companion's expression. Although she saw the muted pain in his eyes, she also noticed that Kuon was listening to her words and taking them seriously. His acceptance made is easier for her to continue. She relased him from her grasp before continuing.

"Remember when we were little and you used to play pretend with me. You were the brave knight and I was your princess to save. Well, if I was the princess, I needed a prince and Sho was it. I really thought he liked being my prince and Father and Mr. Fuwa were thrilled. It was natural and expected and I figured he wanted to be my prince too. He never acted like he didn't. So when he asked me to go along with him on his grand adventure, of coarse I said yes. I was thrilled he wanted to include me and that we would have another chapter in our fairy tale."

"I was naive. I know that and I can't apologize to Mother or Father or you enough for disregarding your feelings so carelessly but I can't let Sho take all the blame. When Sho and I fought, I finally realized that I wasn't a princess. I was just a girl. Even worse, I was a useless girl living in a fantasy. I couldn't be the princess waiting for the prince anymore. I left. Sho didn't leave me. I left him. I ran away from the hotel without a thought except to prove to myself that I was not dependent on a false prince. So, you see, it wasn't just Sho's fault. I could have stayed with the turd until I could contact home and have Father or you come and save me."

"I could have, but I didn't. I acted because," Kyoko looked sheepish for a moment. "You know me. I can be pretty impulsive and extreme and so, well, I decided to be my own prince."

Kyoko blushed slightly and dropped her gaze from Kuon's intense eyes to her gripped hands.

"Even if I gave up being the princess to Sho's prince, I didn't give up all my silly childishness though. I decided to be my own protector so I played the part of my big brother, my original knight and protector."

Kyoko sighed and rose her chin with a sheepish expression that slowly faded until pain was wreathed in her normally sparkling eyes.

"I guess that I grew up a little bit but I still am just a kid playing pretend, huh? I just didn't understand anything, did I?"

For a moment, Kyoko fell silent. A choked sob sounded which Kyoko quickly crushed. Kuon's thoughts immediately shifted from his own selfish pain to concern for his young companion.

"I was still a stupid kid who didn't know anything. I was still seeing what I wanted to see."

Kyoko's shoulders slumped and the earnest spark faded. Her chin sunk once more until she was staring at her hands once more.

"I really don't understand anything about people," she whispered brokenly.

Realizing that she was no longer speaking strictly about Sho, Kuon reached forward and tenderly touched her chin. He offered her the support of a soft smile and eyes filled with affection and trust.

"You understood me when no one else did, Kyoko. You obviously knew me well enough to play me convincingly. You tricked an entire cattle drive of people into thinking you were me. Perhaps you see things a bit innocently but you are not a fool. You love with all your heart and give so freely of yourself. It is one of the things that makes you Kyoko. I hope you never lose that."

A small smile found its way onto Kyoko's lips. She shifted once more and leaned back against Kuon's side. She relaxed for a moment. Exhausted by the emotional exchange and still weak from her illness, the teen's eyes slid shut. She sighed and relaxed further.

"Thank you, Kuon," she murmured softly. For the moment, she felt a bit better. "At least you still love me even if I am not a princess."

Kuon shifted the teen around so that she was reclining on the bench with her feet on the floor and her head on his lap. His hand softly trailed through her hair as he watched Kyoko relax into sleep. She needed the nap to help recover. He needed the peace.

"You'll always be my princess, Kyoko," the blond whispered to her sleeping form.

* * *

><p>Kuon glanced pensively across the confining train car berth. He was tired. Although the private space they were occupying was significantly nicer than the general seating accommodations, the young man was looking forward to reaching home. His larger than average body ached from the cramped accommodations. He had not slept well for the majority of the trip. The private cabin car had cramped beds that were like bunked beds behind one of the padded benches. It was a claustrophobia inducing hole with a thin mattress and stiff blankets. Their small bunk was the lower level and the upper one was closed to their side but open to the private room in the front of the car. The first night in the car, Kyoko had slipped wearily into the bunk. Kuon had propped himself into the corner and slept sitting on the bench. Of course, Kyoko had been mad at him in the morning. She had railed at him because he had slept in such an uncomfortable position while she had rested soundly on the only available bed. The teen had attempted to bully her adopted brother into sleeping in the bed the next night but he refused. Kuon had insisted that because she was recovering from her injury that she needed that sleep more than he did.<p>

That did not sit well with Kyoko and so she refused to go to bed. Stubbornly, the teen had sat on the bench while valiantly trying to stay awake. When Kyoko finally succumbed to sleep on the bench, Kuon had attempted to move her. She woke and instantly struggled in frustration. In the ensuing scuffle, Kyoko ended up tearing open part of her healing wound. The injury set-back sobered both travelers. After patching the teen's wound, Kuon then found himself expertly manipulated by the little minx. To appease his feelings of guilt inspired by the young woman's expertly crafted words, Kuon capitulated and crawled into the tiny space beside Kyoko.

Sleeping beside the one he loved was an exquisite torture. For what seemed like hours, the young man had lain in the tight bunk and had listened to Kyoko breath in time with the constant clacking of the wheels on the rails. When exhaustion had finally pushed him into oblivion, Kuon had slept better than he had in months. Mortification embedded itself firmly in the morning though when the young man awoke with a warm, soft body wrapped securely in his arms and his body evidently appreciative of her close proximity. Kyoko's innocent attempts to wiggle free from Kuon's restraining grasp only made the situation worse for the groggy medical student. Unconsciously, the befuddled blond had tightened his hold on the teen and pulled her even tighter against his body as he nuzzled against her neck and shoulder.

His eyes had finally flown open though when the little mewing sounds elicited from his captive registered in his brain. They were not sounds of pleasure but of pain. His strong arm had been wrapped tightly around Kyoko's middle and his large hand had been pressed firmly into her wound. The pressure shot stabbing pain all through Kyoko's chest and abdomen and she repeatedly called to him to please release her. For a moment, Kuon froze then he scrambled from the tight bed as if escaping a nest of snakes.

Kuon landed on his hands and knees on the floor of the small room. The shock of the short fall from the sleeping bunk jarred up his arms and legs and woke him the rest of the way. Clambering to stand, Kuon was lucky that his previous excitement had deflated at the realization that he had hurt Kyoko. Therefore, he was only forced to face his immediate need to apologize for the pain caused and not for his body's reaction to embracing Kyoko in their sleep.

Shame settled across Kuon's shoulders like a thick and heavy blanket as he pleaded with Kyoko to forgive him. Hand pressed to her side as if holding her insides in place, the teen had gingerly extracted herself from the bunk. Kyoko assured her adopted brother that she was fine and that he was forgiven but the heavy atmosphere remained through the rest of the day.

Despite the awful morning, Kyoko once more insisted that Kuon join her in the bunk that evening. Desperate to avoid losing control again, Kuon slept restlessly as he was hyper-aware of the slight form under the blanket next to him. Lack of quality sleep and the growing tension in the small train car wore heavily on both companions. They rode in a silence that was uncharacteristic of the two individuals who cared so much for the other person. Both were wrapped in their own worries about their feelings and their future.

When the train finally pulled into the Philadelphia train station, Kuon was ready to spend the next week in his bed. He had used the stop in Cumberland, Maryland to send a telegraph to Kuu about their arrival time so he was sure both his mother and father would be waiting at the station for their return. Wearily, Kuon followed Kyoko down the hall to the exit. With their bags in both hands, the young man was unable to assist the teen in descending the steps from the train car. He needn't have worried though because Kyoko never had to step more than once on the stair before arms grabbed her and ripped her from the passenger car.

Her breath catching in an exclamation, Kyoko found herself in the crushing grip of her father's arms. Tears of pain and joy mingled on her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Kuu's neck and cried on her father's shoulder. Uncaring of the strange looks he was receiving from the other passengers, Kuu Hizori did nothing to stop his tears from coursing down his cheeks.

Looking beautifully poised and coiffed in an elegant day gown with a matching umbrella to shade her delicate skin from the sun, Julienne Hizuri dabbed delicately at her blue eyes as she watched her daughter and husband reunited. She did not begrudge Kuu his moment with Kyoko. She knew he needed this time to heal his heart that had been so damaged lately. Julie would wait her turn patiently. Not only did she love her husband too much to foist her own needs onto the situation but she was also in public. The gorgeous woman might be vocal and expansive in their home but she was always perfectly decorous in public. Instead of demanding her daughter's greeting, her eyes sought the gaze of the matching blue eyes of her handsome son.

"Thank you, Kuon," she stated simply with a proud smile for her older child.

Kuon returned her smile with a weary one of his own before he dropped the bags and turned to his father.

"Father, put Kyoko down. You're hurting her," he stated as he moved to extract the teen from his father's crushing embrace.

Kuu only scoffed and hugged his returned child harder. Kyoko choked out a muffled cry which had Kuu immediately returning her to the ground. Shaking and weak, Kyoko dropped her hand to protect her side even as she offered her parents a joyful smile. With his hands on her shoulders, Kuu actually looked at Kyoko. His eyes narrowed and flitted to his son.

"What happened?" he demanded. It was still obvious that Kyoko had been recently ill.

Ever conscious of appearances, Julie placed her hand on Kuu's elbow.

"We can discuss this on the way home," she gently prodded before she stepped forward so that she too could welcome her child home. Without another thought, she handed her umbrella to Kuu and usurped his place.

Gently, Julie offered Kyoko a quick hug and placed a kiss on both her cheeks. She just as quickly released the teen from her grasp. Her gloved hand tilted Kyoko's face up so she could see her clearly. Julienne's deep blue eyes stared intently at her golden-eyed daughter's face for a moment as she read the new maturity evident in her previously innocent gaze.

"Welcome home, Sweetling," she offered with a warm smile filled with love and affection.

"I missed you, mother," Kyoko whispered.

Julienne gently tightened her grip on Kyoko's chin as her smile grew. Unable to resist, Mrs. Hizuri once again hugged her daughter. Stepping back, she held her hand towards her husband. With an ease of many years moving as one, Kuu handed her back her umbrella. He waited only a moment for her to open it then offered his arm.

Although Kuu would normally have expected his son to offer Kyoko his arm to escort her to the carriage, the elder Hizuri was loath to relinquish hold of his precious daughter. Flaunting tradition, he tucked her arm around his other elbow and led his lovely wife and bedraggled daughter from the train platform. Kuon could not help but shake his head. Obediently, he picked up the two suitcases and followed. A relaxed smile settled on his lips and a weight eased from his shoulders. It was good to be home.

* * *

><p>Kuon set aside the school book he had been reading and raised his long arms over his head. He rolled his neck and stretched his shoulders for a moment before glancing out his bedroom window. The first touches of red, yellow and orange were sneaking into the maples and oaks that surrounded the Hizuris' stately home. Although the blond normally loved this time of year, he was not enjoying the subtle season change like he normally would. The crisp air seemed chilling instead of invigorating. The bright colors made his eyes hurt instead of making him smile. Even the thrill of a new school year did not catch his fancy as it had in the past. Instead, he had been working through the summer to not only catch up on the weeks he missed while traveling west but also to complete his class requirements early. As far as he estimated, he would be ready to graduate before Christmas. He hoped it was soon enough.<p>

Thoughts circling once more to his ever present worry about the shadow who had replaced the woman he loved, Kuon fingered the edge of stationary sticking just slightly from its hiding place in his physiology book. He wasn't sure she was going to make it to winter. Kuon leaned back in his chair, closed his tired eyes for a moment and sighed. He hoped that the letter would not be in vain. He had pinned a lot of hope on it but he feared that it might be too late in baring fruit to help Kyoko.

Ever since their return to Philadelphia, Kyoko's behavior had been a bit off kilter. The normally enthusiastic young woman had shed her lively countenance and replaced it with an unfailingly polite but quietly sad persona. The Hizuris all felt the change and tried to help Kyoko deal with whatever was bothering her.

Hoping to break her fugue, Julienne had taken her to New York for a couple days of pampering and shopping. Kyoko had never been a fan of spas and fancy clothes and the pair of women had returned two days earlier than planned. When Kyoko had taken her luggage to her room, Kuon had overheard his mother telling his father that she couldn't stay any longer.

"She was so polite and smiled at all the right times. She said all the right things and carried herself with a dignity and class she never showed before. I had to bring her home though," Julienne had explained to Kuu. "It just felt so cold. It was as if she was with a puppet or a doll. She was acting just as I wanted her to react but there was no real pleasure in it. Not even when she was smiling and laughing."

"It broke my heart," his mother had cried. "It was even worse than when she was a child and first came to us. At least then she didn't know any better. Now, we know her spark and fire. It hurts more for its sputtering then before it was kindled."

In response to the obvious distress of both Julie and Kyoko, Kuu had done what he always did. He lavished love with all his might. He offered his wife all the mental and physical support he could give then turned around and showered Kyoko with attention and affection too. Just like with mother, Kyoko participated but there was still no thrill of life in the activities. Kuu took her to work with him. He coaxed her into the kitchen to cook him snacks. He took her for rides in the carriage.

Kyoko complied with each activity and for short moments, she almost seemed to return to her normal self. She genuinely smiled when Kuu took her to visit the electric power plant in which he had recently invested. She had been fascinated with the machinery and awed by the knowledgeable man who attempted to explain how everything worked in terms that she and her father would clearly understand. Unfortunately, the moments of pleasure were fleeting.

Most telling for Kuon though was that Kyoko refused to go riding or even visit the stables. She had told Kuu that it hurt too much to try to ride and her beloved father had believed that she meant it hurt her recovering muscles in her side. Kuon suspected that it wasn't that it hurt physically but that it reminded her too much of her adventures in the west and more specifically the cowboys she had left behind to come home.

His suspicions where confirmed when he had followed her deep into the gardens one day and found her skirt laying at the foot of one of the large silver maple trees that marked the edge of their gardens and the wild woods behind their home. Looking up, Kuon had found Kyoko nestled deep in the high branches wearing a pair of worn trousers that he wore around the age of twelve that she must have found in a trunk in the attic. Her hiding spot cemeted his belief. If her muscles still pained her, she wouldn't have been able to climb so high. Her actions only confirmed his previous hypothesis.

Tucking his book into the back of his pants, Kuon had swung himself up into the tree and carefully climbed up to her. In silence, he settled onto a slightly lower branch with one of his long legs swinging and the other propped at an angle on the thick branch. He watched Kyoko for a while before extracting his book. His deep and caressing voice had wrapped her in its warm embrace as he read to her from the book of poetry. When darkness had forced them to finally descend from their perches, Kyoko had gently touched Kuon's arm and smiled her silent thanks before grabbing her skirt and fleeing into the house. For Kuon, the sore throat from hours of reading aloud was worth the strain for that moment of honest pleasure and connection reflected in Kyoko's eyes.

For weeks, Kuon had been waging a war similar to the one he had battled over a decade ago. Despite the time he needed for his studies, he still found himself quietly seeking Kyoko. He read to her. He brought her snacks or tea when she was making a poor attempt at sewing. If she was reading in the parlor, he would bring his school books into the room too. If she wandered listlessly into the garden, he followed and told her tales about things his acquaintances at school did or about interesting things he was studying.

Kuon pushed his chair back from his desk and stretched his legs out as he contemplated how soon he could seek Kyoko's company. He knew that his mother had dragged the young woman to some sort of tea party or something equally silly this afternoon because his mother, adopted sister, their lone stable hand, and the carriage had been gone when Kuon returned from classes. He wondered how soon they would return or if the already did and he missed it while he was concentrating on his studies.

A sudden clatter at his door drew his attention.

In the doorway, Kyoko stood. Her trendy hat was hanging crookedly from its precarious perch on her hair. Her chest was heaving in an attempt to allow her to catch her lost breath. Her umbrella that Kuon knew she only had because Julienne insisted that she carry one in public during daylight hours was laying on the floor at her feet. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes swam with unshed tears.

Kuon's chest tightened and he stood at the desperation and panic clearly evident in every fiber of her being. For a moment, blue eyes held golden ones.

Without a thought, Kuon held open his arms and in the next instant Kyoko threw herself against his chest. Her body shook and sobs of despair wracked her body. For the first time since her return, Kyoko was crying and she wasn't just crying. She was bawling uncontrollably and sobbing nonsense. Repeatedly, Kyoko begged him not to allow her to do it.

Kuon had no idea what she was babbling about but from the heart-wrenching manner whatever it was affecting the teen, he knew that there was no way on earth he was going to allow whatever it was to actually happen.

Gathering Kyoko into his arms, he stroked her back and offered soothing words of comfort. It did not help. In fact, Kyoko's speech became more disjointed. Over the tears and sobs, Kuon could hear the housekeeper moving in the hallway. Jaw clenching in frustration, Kuon cussed.

"Damn it all to hell," he muttered before gathering Kyoko closer to his chest. He shifted his arms around her and picked her up as if she was a bride. Stalking to the open door, the medical student kicked the umbrella into the hallway before slamming his door shut with his foot. Shifting Kyoko's weight more fully onto his chest, he used the hand tucked under her knees to flick the key in the lock to protect them from the world. Stomping to his bed, Kuon eased himself into a comfortable position on his large bed while keeping Kyoko tucked against him.

Once in place and with Kyoko firmly in his lap, Kuon's hands raised and pulled the large pin from Kyoko's silly hat before tossing both the pin and the hat to the floor. His hands buried in her now shoulder length hair and rubbed her scalp soothingly while whispering quieting encouragements.

"Breath princess," he murmured in her ear with his lips ghosting against the edge of her lobe. His breath as he spoke moved the wispy hairs behind her ears and along the edge of her neck. For a moment her breath hitched in her sobbing as a ticklish shiver ran up her spine. Kuon quieted the shiver though with a rub of his hand down her back before pulling her closer against his chest.

"Good girl," he encouraged as his one hand created soothing patterns on her back while the other one sifted her now messy hair from her face. As her distraught sobs shifted to shuddering tears, Kuon moved his hands to cup Kyoko's face. He kissed her gently on the forehead. With his thumbs, he gently swiped at the tear trails on her face only to have new tears cut down her reddened cheeks.

Slowly, Kyoko's deluge of depression receded enough for her to be a bit more coherent. Kuon encouraged her to tell him what happened.

With interruptions to breath deeply and occasionally hiccups, Kyoko begged him to protect her. She pleaded with her childhood knight to stop it.

"What is it?" Kuon asked in concern.

"Mother wants to send me away. She thinks I need to go somewhere to recover myself. She has convinced father to send me to Europe until I feel better."

Fear slammed into Kuon and spiked a shooting pain behind his eyes. Kuon's arms tightened their hold on the distressed young woman he loved.

"Don't let them send me away," Kyoko begged as she buried her head once more against Kuon's chest. "I'm lost as it is. Don't let them send me to strangers. Please, Kuon. Please..."

Kyoko fell silent as more tears squeezed from her eyes.

"Don't worry, princess," Kuon promised. "I won't let them send you to strangers. I will protect you."

"I will always protect you," he reiterated firmly as his hands moved soothingly up and down Kyoko's arms.

Confident that Kuon will protect her even from the well intended inventions of his parents, Kyoko began to settle. Just like when she was child, she allowed Kuon's presence to wrap around her and fill her with peace. Her breathing returned to normal and she rubbed away the remnants of the tears from her cheeks with the heels of her hands all while remaining safely wrapped in her adopted big brother's arms.

"Kyoko," Kuon intoned once he was sure she was completely done crying.

"Do you know why mother wants to send you to Europe?"

Kyoko nodded against his chest.

"She thinks that I need a change of scenery because I am so sad here at home."

"Do you?"

Kyoko shook her head.

"Being here isn't making me sad."

"Would being somewhere else make you feel better?"

Kyoko did not reply. Instead she lifted her shoulders slightly in a manner that would have driven Julienne into a fit of apoplexy over her lack of proper manners.

"So if not the place, why do you feel sad, princess?" Kuon pressed gently.

"I don't know. I'm just sad."

"Come on, Kyoko. No lies between us," Kuon replied as his long pointer finger tapped on her reddened nose.

Kyoko bit her lower lip but Kuon's finger tapped on it to disrupt the worried pressure on her abused skin. Kyoko sighed.

"I feel lost," she admitted and Kuon nodded in encouragement.

"Not that I don't know where I am but more like I don't know what I am. Or who I am really."

"I can appreciate how that feels," Kuon whispered with empathy.

Kyoko nodded. She knew that he would understand. He had wrestled with similar issues as a teenager.

"I always thought I would be Sho's wife and run hotels but now I am lost. I don't know what to do and everything feels wrong," she muttered in frustration.

"Do you still want to be Sho's wife?"

Kyoko glared at Kuon who grinned in apology.

"Do you want to manage a hotel?"

She shook her head in the negative.

"Do you know what you want to do?" Kuon prodded.

Kyoko shrugged again and sighed.

"Do you want to go back west?" he proposed "You seemed to like it there."

"I don't know. I did like it but I don't get all excited about the thought of traveling west again," Kyoko replied desolately.

Kuon just stared at the young woman on his lap as if encouraging her to think on the subject a bit more. Kyoko rubbed her head and sighed again.

"I enjoyed cooking for the gentleman from Dark Moon ranch," she admitted.

"Father enjoys when you cook for him. Perhaps you could do it more often and see if that makes you feel better?" Kuon suggested.

Kyoko shook her head.

"It wasn't the cooking. I know father loves it when I cook. It just isn't the same. Father loves to eat but he doesn't need me to cook. The housekeeper gets paid to keep him fed. He doesn't need me to feed him or save him from burning down the house in a grease fire or even to make a drinkable pot of coffee. The cowboys from Dark Moon needed my cooking."

Kuon pushed himself up straighter and shifted Kyoko from his lap so that she was sitting on his bed and now facing him. The blond took Kyoko's hands in his own.

"You will be happy again if you find the place where you feel needed?" Kuon clarified.

"Well, I need to feel needed but I also need to have something to dream about too. Even though it was silly and I was naive, I liked having the goal of one day being Sho's bride."

"I guess I need to feel needed and also have something to reach for," Kyoko decided finally.

She glanced at Kuon as if looking for approval of her self-discover. When she met his gaze, she was shocked by the almost scary intensity reflected in his eyes. She watched as Kuon took a deep breath.

"Kyoko, do you trust me to never hurt you?"

Immediately, Kyoko affirmed that he would never hurt her. Kuon smiled softly at her innocent and unwavering faith in him. His one hand left it's grip on her hands and raised to rest against her cheek.

"I am serious, Kyoko. Do you truly believe that I would never do anything that would harm you?"

She nodded with a serious expression to match her older companion's countenance.

"I think you need to stop floating then and decide what you want to do with your life. I will support you no matter what it is you want. If you want to go to college and study, I will help you convince father to allow it. If you want to go to Europe, I will take a break from school and go with you. Hell, if you want to go to Chicago and stomp on Fuwa's face, I will happily buy you a ticket. I want you to think about what you want and I will support your decision."

Kuon suddenly stopped speaking for a moment. He took a deep breath and his fingers grasping her hand tightened for a moment.

"Whatever you want, I will help you but I want you to have a chance to look at all your options."

Kyoko became aware that Kuon's hand against her cheek and also the one holding her hand were shaking slightly. She tilted her head to the side slightly as her eyes silently questioned what was bothering him.

"I love you Kyoko," Kuon stated.

"I know that, silly," Kyoko replied with a grin.

"No, Kyoko, you don't. I love you and you don't understand but I want you to. I need you to understand."

Kuon raised his left hand from holding Kyoko's hand so that both his palms were gently cupping the teen's face. He leaned forward until their breath mingled. Suddenly, a strange feeling of unease quivered in Kyoko's stomach and her eyes widened as Kuon's face moved closer still.

"Trust me," he whispered as he moved forward the last few inches.

Feather like tickles of soft skin ghosted over her lips before Kuon's lips more firmly settled against her slightly opened mouth. Eyes wide, Kyoko watched enthralled as Kuon's eyes closed and he poured all his suppressed feelings into this one caress. What started as a soft tingle became an insistent pressure that demanded her surrender. Shaking under the emotional onslaught of the previously unknown passion lurking under the guise of her brother, Kyoko gasped. Pressing closer, Kuon's tongue skimmed her lips and nudged inside her mouth to swirl against her suddenly overly sensitive flesh. Kyoko shuddered as Kuon's tongue teased her tongue in an attempt to engage a response.

Unsure of how to react, Kyoko whimpered helplessly. She felt Kuon's body shudder against her smaller frame before he slowly pulled away from the kiss and the tight embrace in which he had wrapped her.

Unconsciously, her right hand raised to her face. Her fingertips pressed against her still sensitized lips. With golden eyes as wide as saucers, Kyoko stared at the handsome young man with his head bowed beside her as he attempted to rebuild his control over his erupting emotions and raging hormones. After a jagged breath, Kuon raised his head. Kyoko's breath froze in her chest at the life and love that were now so obviously painted on his face. Kuon took a deep and cleansing breath.

"I love you, Kyoko," he simply offered along with his tender smile. "I need you and I would love to share my dream with you if you can't find one that appeals to you."

Kyoko just stared in a dumbstruck manner. She had no idea what to do with this sudden information that was so outside anything she had ever considered a possibility.

Slowly, Kuon reigned in his emotions and expression until all that remained before her was the concerned young man she was used to seeing. His fingers touched her hand tentatively and he offered her an encouraging smile.

"Whatever you choose, I will support you, Kyoko. If you want to share my dream, I will welcome you with open arms. If you prefer to be my little sister, I will remain your big brother and protector for as long as you want or need me."

Kuon stood. He moved to the door and turned the key. Opening the wooden door wide, Kuon turned to face Kyoko who remained sitting on his bed. He smiled tenderly at her.

"The choice is yours, Princess. All you need to do is pick."

Having said his piece, the handsome blond quietly exited his room leaving Kyoko to her chaotic thoughts.


	21. Deadline

Despite his long, leather duster, the chilled cowboy shivered as sleet assaulted him with unending precision. The rapid pings as the tiny semi-frozen pieces of rain bounced off his hat and coat seemed a direct echo of the chaos in the rancher's thoughts.

"Blasted, bloody weather," he cussed under his breath. His warm breath wafted like smoke from his mouth to hang for a moment in the frigid air. Stomping up the five steps to the huge brick home, Ren was thankful for the respite from the precipitation offered by the wooden porch. The dark haired young man pulled his Stetson from his head and pounded it a few times to clear the ice and water from its top. The Texan replaced his hat on his head and stomped his frozen feet a couple times in hopes of forcing feeling back into them. His leather boots, though excellent for his normal lifestyle, were sadly unprepared to deal with the icy puddles, mud, and slush through which he had just waded.

For a moment, Ren stared at the huge, ornate home that was glowing with candlelight to celebrate the festive season. Like a mass of worms, nervousness churned in his stomach as he wondered if he was the biggest fool in the history of mankind. The insidious thought made itself known for perhaps the hundredth time since he climbed onto the train station platform at the end of his long, uncomfortable trip.

Needing the support of the glimmer of hope that had arrived at his home around Thanksgiving, Ren reached into his pocket and ran his fingers over the worn and weather stained letter that had led to his current freezing position. It was a simple letter but one that provided the final kick in the pants the rancher needed to move outside of his carefully scripted existence.

The past few months had not been fun for the hard-working rancher. When he returned from Dodge City, he had to report to John Miller and his wife that he had not kept his word and returned the teen to their care. The stoic store owner had not been pleased. Although the older man had not said anything on the subject since confirming his failure to properly return Kuon to the trading post, Ren had felt the unspoken disappointment every time he encountered Mr. Miller at the store or church.

Soon after his return to Trails End, a gorgeous young woman had arrived at his ranch looking for the cook. Miss Kotonami was a beautiful woman who easily drew the eye of every male on his ranch but interest waned quickly once her temper reared it's ugly head. She had been livid to learn that the young woman who had inspired her to bravely move forward towards her vision for the future was gone and not planning to return. Even with their obvious size discrepancy and his ever present sidearm, Ren had been intimidated by the ferocity of the gorgeous termagant.

Between the death glares from the dark haired beauty and the disillusionment from the trading post owner, trips to the town had become quite uncomfortable for the young man.

The Dark Moon ranch wasn't much of a relief either. The Ishibashis fussed every meal about how much they missed the wayward cook's tasty creations. Deche had refrained from calling him a fool again but Ren could feel the weight of his frustration that had taken the place of the normally comfortable silence he felt in the Indian's presence. The worse reminders had come from his oldest friend. Lory made repeated points of commenting on just how empty the rancher's life was. The cowboy seemed hellbent on drawing attention to all the little empty spots in his life and the life of the ranch that the spirited young woman could have permanently filled if he had only shown more spine.

For months, Ren bore the nagging, whining, and hostility but the final straw came when Maria had complained about eating the lumpy biscuits her father had baked for Sunday breakfast. She had followed her expression of displeasure with a comment about how Kuon would have happily made them all biscuits that were fluffy and tasty and filled with healthy goodness.

"Don't you start too, Maria," Ren had snapped at the little blond. "You really only knew her for less than a week!"

Ren had instantly felt guilty. He hadn't meant to scold the youngest Takarada so harshly but he was at wits end on the subject. He had known he had messed up but he had no way of traveling back in time and fixing his mistake.

His harsh words had led to little girl tears and everyone had scrambled to make Maria feel better while they glared at the ranch owner in disgust.

Lory had gathered his granddaughter up in his arms and taken her to her room. Later in the afternoon, Takarada had joined Ren in the horse barn. He had offered him harsh words that cut Ren with their truthfulness. That evening, Ren had apologized to everyone at dinner and begged Maria for her forgiveness. The little sprite cast aside her pouting and forgave him and the rest of the residents of the ranch collectively refrained from mentioning the little cook ever again.

Neither Kuon nor Kyoko were mentioned for weeks although Ren thought about her daily. When the letter from Philadelphia finally made its way to his hand by way of the carpenter in Shade Tree, to the Daryuma Trading Post, to Yashiro and finally to the Dark Moon ranch, the young cowboy had been rendered utterly flabbergasted. He had read the thing three times before finally seeking Lory and asking him to read it too.

"This is an invitation to come to Philadelphia and make clear my feelings for Miss Kyoko, right?" he had asked of the older man who read the letter quickly.

"Yep," the older cowboy had confirmed as he reread the short missive from the real Kuon Hizuri that stated his intention to press the advantages of his own interests if the rancher did not have any feelings for the young woman. He had given the Texan until the new year as a deadline.

"I thought Deche said the brother loved her," he had questioned. "Why would he reach out to me? If she has feelings for me, he stands to lose everything."

"Who knows?" Lory had simply replied before asking Ren if he still had feelings for the young woman.

Ren had shrugged in a supposed manner of nonchalance but Lory had noticed the slight blush that colored his sun tanned cheeks.

"You obviously had feelings for her since you kissed her even though you thought she was a boy."

Ren cussed at his older friend who just smirked evilly. He had snapped that letter back against Ren's chest. The younger cowboy had caught the weathered letter before it could drop to the floor.

"You just need to make up your mind, Ren," Lory had prompted as he turned to leave.

"Make it quick too since you have a deadline. Oh, and this time, don't be a coward," he had thrown over his shoulder as he moved out of earshot.

Ren had made a decision. Therefore, he found himself standing in the freezing cold of a sloppy Pennsylvania winter while searching for the courage to announce his presence at the Hizuri residence.

"Good Lord, I think I would rather face rustlers," he muttered as he reached for the large brass door knocker.

"At least I can shoot them," he sighed as his hands roughly rapped the hinged metal knocker against the strike plate. A few moments more in the cold and the door swung open to reveal a slightly plump woman in a dark yet flattering skirt and blouse. A new appearing apron protected the fabric of her outfit and was embroidered with rather rough and lopsided daisies that Kyoko had sewn onto the crisp linen as her Christmas present to the housekeeper.

"Good evening, ma'am," Ren greeted as he stomped his wet feet once more as the older woman stared at him with equal parts curiosity and suspicion.

"I'm Ren Tsuruga and Kuon Hizuri is expecting me," he explained in hopes of being invited into the warmth of the well lit foyer. The Texan could fleetingly feel the heat from the house escaping out the front door like a teasing reminder of just how cold he was standing there in his wet, unlined leathers.

He offered the housekeeper his best friendly smile and hoped that she didn't hear the exaggeration in his statement. The rancher prided himself in avoiding an outright lie. He had been invited to the Hizuri home by the blond medical student; he just wasn't expecting him at this time or possibly even at all since he had not replied to the the youngest Hizuri's letter.

"Well, come in then, Mr. Tsuruga. You'll like to freeze your bits off if you stand there much longer," the guardian of the door expressed as she stepped back so that the cowboy could enter.

With a sigh of satisfaction, the half-frozen cowboy moved into the blanketing warmth of the foyer. He surrendered his coat and hat to the housekeeper who offered to take them to the kitchen to help them dry before directing the young man down the hallway. They passed the doorways to the formal parlor and Kuu's study which were both well lit by gas lamps and warmed with blazing fires in the ornate fireplaces. In the study, Ren saw some older gentlemen drinking brandy and smoking while in the parlor a number of well dressed women were sipping after dinner liquors and speaking softly. Ren couldn't help but smile. It reminded him of his own home when his father had hosted business parties. The Tsuruga household was not near as financially secure as the Hizuris obviously were but the atmosphere was still quite similar.

Following his matronly guide down the carpeted hallway, Ren felt a stab of guilt at the muddy footprints he was obviously leaving in his wake. He was led past the ornate stairs to the second floor and then past a formal dining room where a pair of young women was clearing the huge table of the trappings from the formal dinner the guests had recently enjoyed. Over the sounds of clinking dishes, giggles and laughter could be heard.

"The young master is in the family parlor," the housekeeper explained as she pointed to the room where the sounds of mirth originated. The older woman then continued past the door towards the kitchen.

Stepping into the doorway of the combination music room and informal entertaining space, Ren quickly cataloged the occupants and furnishings. The ornate couches, end tables, and chairs had been pushed to the periphery of the room. Likewise, the large, iron framed Steinway square piano had been shifted into the corner and the bench was even sitting upside down on the closed lid of the impressive instrument. A long table had been moved to block the huge fireplace and the French doors into the dimly lit conservatory were latched closed. Young women dressed in fine gowns and young men dressed in stylish black suits skirted out of reach of the twirling grasp of a blindfolded young woman. Ren estimated that the young people ranged in age from sixteen to possibly even his age for a couple of the well dressed young men.

His eyes were instantly drawn from the various participants of the blind man's buff game to the petite young woman who was 'it'. His breath caught in his chest as he watched Kyoko move blindly about the room with her eyes hidden under a silken scarf. Despite the golden colored floor-length gown she wore, the teen moved rapidly in hopes of catching one of the giggling young woman or the teasing young men who kept calling to her and then moving quickly from her reach.

Ren watched as a young man reached out and tickled her ear and laughed as she rounded on the unknown taunter who expertly backpedaled while laughing at her attempts to snare him. Unaware of Ren's position, the young man moved towards the cowboy while making chirping noises that Kyoko confidently followed. Finally noticing the new addition to the room, the young man grinned mischievously before making one last loud chirp and stepping silently away. Kyoko took three more steps forward and collided against a large, strong chest. Work-worn hands caught at her elbows to keep her from stumbling back. A small frown marred the young woman's face as her finger's skimmed across the rough material and the strong muscles under it.

Given her prey's size and height, there was only one person she could guess but the cloth did not feel like her brother's suit.

"Kuon?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not quite, Miss Mogami," the cowboy whispered as his hands raised to pluck the blindfold from her face.

Gently, Ren removed the scarf to reveal the golden gaze that had haunted his thoughts for months.

"Mr. Tsuruga..." Kyoko gasped in shock as she fell silent and stared at the unexpected guest.

The room fell silent as the two continued to just stare at each other. Judging eyes from the young men and woman tried to determine the worth of the unknown yet handsome intruder who seemed to have rattled the normally unflappable adopted daughter of one of the richest families in the state. Although the pampered heiresses were quick to dismiss the young man because of his obvious lack of wealth, they could not help but be intrigued by his physical appeal. Their male counterparts were similar unimpressed with his common manner of dress but leery of both his obviously displayed revolver and his physique that dwarfed all but Kuon's stature. Silently, the guests waited to discover the nature of the intruder's arrival.

A discreet cough finally broke the strange spell that had frozen Ren and Kyoko. Ren glanced towards the interloper while Kyoko lowered her eyes and blushed madly.

"Welcome to Philadelphia, Mr. Tsuruga. I hope you had a safe trip," Kuon greeted as he offered the rancher his hand.

Preferring the handshake to needing to draw his gun or getting punched, Ren firmly clasp the offered hand and returned the greeting.

"It was long and bloody cold," the cowboy replied before dropping the handshake and reaching for Kyoko's hand. He drew it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. Ren grinned rakishly.

"It was worth it though."

If possible, Kyoko's blush deepened as she pulled her hand free of Ren's grasp. The flirting and casual manner in which the stranger treated Kyoko served to galvanize half of the guests into indulging their curiosity. The four young woman who had been playing the game surrounded Kyoko and pulled her away in a giggling fit of demands of who the handsome young man was who had joined them. Although she had never been friends with these young woman who were the daughters of her father's business associates or established families in the region, Kyoko allowed the nosy young women to pull her away. She was so flustered by the sudden arrival of the Dark Moon rancher that she was not sure what else to do.

Both Ren and Kuon watched her go.

"Cutting it a wee bit close, weren't you, Mr. Cowboy," the medical student muttered as his blue eyes followed the retreating form of his adopted sister.

"It's not the new year yet," Ren answered casually as he watched Kyoko field the rapid inquisition of her acquaintances.

A flash of pain shifted through Kuon's eyes as his right hand sunk into his pants pocket and caressed the small velvet bag hidden in its depth. His eyes went to the large coo-coo clock over the mantle of the fireplace.

"Three hours later and it would have been."

Ren frowned at the strange tone in Kuon's voice. He shifted his gaze from the cute center of his attention to the blond man beside him. He noticed the tension around Kuon's eyes and the subtle droop in his shoulders.

"I'm not too late, am I?" the rancher asked with sudden concern as he thought about the observations Lory and Deche had made about the young man beside him and his feelings for his adopted sister.

Kuon sighed as his fingers tightened around the pouch in his pocket. His fingers released it and he turned slightly. He offered a small smile to the Texan. In that expression, Ren was able to read just how right Lory and Deche were. A momentary pang of guilt flashed through Ren's chest.

"Not at all," Kuon softly replied as his hand moved to snag the silk scarf hanging limply in Ren's grip.

Ren watched as Kuon took a deep breath and turned back to the room. The emotions in the blond's eyes shifted away to be hidden under a mask of good cheer. He confidently moved towards the gathered flock of females and expertly extracted his adopted sister. He balled the silken scarf in his hand and tossed it to one of his friends from the University.

"How about you take over as it, Lawrence," the handsome blond suggested before he shifted Kyoko back to face their new arrival.

"Perhaps Mr. Tsuruga would appreciate if you took him for something warm to drink and a tour of the house?" he prompted as casually as possible. When Kyoko grinned happily, her adopted brother could do nothing but return the smile with one of his own.

"Go on," Kuon nudged.

"You sure?" Kyoko asked with concern for her brother's aching feelings warring with her desire to speak with Ren once again.

"Yes, little sister," the blond replied with an emphasis on the brotherly endearment.

The brilliant glowing grin Kyoko offered Kuon as she turned from him to excitedly take Ren's offered arm almost made the stabbing pain in his chest worth it.


	22. Trails End

With her warm hand tugging insistently on his elbow, Ren allowed Kyoko to lead him from the New Year's Eve party in the family parlor and down the remaining part of the hallway that led into the kitchen.

"Mrs. Myers," the radiant teen called as she dragged the rancher into the warm kitchen.

The housekeeper was fixing a tray of tiny confections which would be taken into the family parlor in a few minutes by one of the maids.

"Yes, Miss Kyoko?" she inquired with an indulgent smile. From the affectionate expression, it was obvious to Ren that the housekeeper enjoyed the youngest member of the Hizuri household.

"I'm just going to fix Mr. Tsuruga something to warm to drink," the teen explained for their invasion of the housekeeper's domain. Mrs. Myers merely nodded and returned to her food preparations.

As the Texan watched Kyoko leave his arm and move smoothly around the kitchen as if she belonged there, he realized that Kyoko must spend a lot of time in the room. She confidently moved from cupboard to cupboard as she retrieved ingredients for whatever she planned to make him. The young woman knew where everything was stored. Efficiently, she measured powdered cocoa, sugar, a pinch of salt and some vanilla into a copper pot. Kyoko retrieved a half empty bottle of milk from the cold box worked into the wall of the house. The interior insulated box that was exposed to the cold from the outside of the house kept the perishable foods safe during the frigid winter months. The winter ice box was housed above the more modern icebox that sat unused in the cold months. There was no need for the ice block deliveries for maintaining the cooled storage box during winter months; the outside was more than adequate at providing natural refrigeration.

Expertly adding some wood and adjusting the damper on the mammoth cast iron wood stove, Kyoko increased the heat on the stove to more quickly warm the cocoa. She whisked the sweetened milk treat as she bombarded her guest with questions about his trip East.

Pulling a chair from the long, cherry plank table, Ren settled near the roaring heat of the stove and cheerfully answered questions about his trip. By the time the cocoa was heated and divided between two delicate porcelain cups, Ren had related all the details of his trip from Trails End.

Kyoko placed the two cups of cocoa on saucers and shifted them onto a silver tray along with two small plates of hard ginger cookies that she snagged from Mrs. Myer's stash of emergency Kuu treats. Calling Ren to follow her, the golden gowned teen led the Texas rancher through another doorway into a dimly lit room.

Kyoko placed their light snack on the table before moving to the interior wall to turn up the gas on the barely lit lights. With a flick of her wrist, she filled the room with the soft firelight from the lamps. Light danced off the numerous dark windows that lined the entire wall of the Hizuri family morning room. After offering Ren a seat, Kyoko moved to the fireplace to add some wood to the banked fire. When she started to crouch to reach for a piece of firewood, a work roughened hand caught her elbow and pulled her to stand.

"You are dressed entirely too well to be feeding a fire, Miss Mogami," Ren warned as he crouched and grabbed a log from the polished brass wood basket. He quickly fed the small fire set into the grate of the Franklin stove fitted into the brick fireplace. He stood and wiped the small slivers of wood and pieces of dirt from his hands onto his work pants. When he turned back from fireplace, he noticed his company watching his movements appreciatively.

"Thank you," Kyoko intoned as she ducked her head when she was caught staring at the cowboy. She nervously moved to the table and fiddled with the tray.

Ren grinned.

"You are most welcome," he replied as he settled into the closest chair. Like the rest of the informal dining area, the simple ladder backed chair was nothing like the ornate, padded seats in the formal dining room. The sparse furnishings in the more intimate room was obviously more often used by the family than its elegant counterpart was utilized. The chairs and table showed slight wear but still shined with well polished care. The small table had only four chairs which made it obvious that this room was only used by the immediate family. Despite its obvious lack of the ornate decorations that abounded in the rest of the home, Ren still noticed that the room was far more finely appointed than any room in his home. The floor was carpeted and the walls had lightly stained wainscoting that ended with a matching chair-rail. Above the woodwork, soft blue flowers on cream colored wallpaper gave the room a bright and cheerful appearance. Idly, Ren realized that the blue flowers on the walls matched the blue flowers on the cups, saucers and plates.

"Your home is lovely," the rancher stated as he wondered if Kyoko would only be truly happy in a home similar to the one in which she grew up.

"Thank you. Mother likes to decorate. Beside the conservatory, this is my favorite room in the house. In the spring and summer, the windows look out on the blooming rose garden. We normally eat in here and Kuon and I often did our homework sitting at this table when we were little. This room and father's study are the only downstairs rooms that have not been redecorated a couple times in my life."

Ren took a sip of his warm cocoa and offered his companion a compliment on the treat. Although not normally a fan of sweet foods, the cocoa just skimmed the edge between bitter and sweet. Ren found the drink delicious and it finished warming his insides.

Nervously, Kyoko broke apart one of the ginger cookies and fiddled with the smaller pieces. Silently and patiently, she waited and watched her guest. She wondered when the cowboy would tell her why he traveled across the country.

Uncomfortable with the stretching silence, Ren began to speak. Unfortunately, his topics had nothing to do with his reason for visiting Philadelphia.

Ren rambled through updates on all the ranch hands at Dark Moon. He mentioned some of the townspeople who had interacted with the young Kuon imposter who had become a bit of a legend in the town already. Kyoko smiled when she learned that the young woman she met at the social hall had taken her place at the Miller's trading post. The rancher even conveyed a couple stories about Maria and Hio and their newly issued truce. It seemed that the little blond was inclined to like the arrogant kid a lot more now that he was no longer tormenting her. The youngest Uesagi had grown up a bit on the cattle drive. Ren chuckled and admitted that it might have helped that Hio had a bit of a crush on Kanae Kotonami now too. Since he was no longer focusing all his adolescent attention and insecurities on the cute blond, Maria enjoyed school and specifically Hio's company more.

Ren finished his long list of updates on his hometown. Both their cups had been empty for a while and most of the ginger cookies had been consumed or broken into crumbs on Kyoko's plate.

The cowboy fell silent. When Kyoko did not respond to his silence, the rancher glanced at her for a moment before turning his eyes to stare at the darkened windows. The glass reflected back only the distorted scene of the two companions sitting in the morning room instead of revealing the frozen garden. Another cookie snapped. Ren glanced back at Kyoko but remained miserably silent.

"Is that all you wanted to say?" Kyoko asked as she finally dropped the last broken shards of the hard cookie on her plate.

Ren's dark eyes met her golden gaze once more but he did not say anything.

"You came all the way to Philadelphia to tell me how everyone was doing? You could have just written me a letter."

For a moment, Ren looked uncomfortable.

"While I was here, I thought you would want to know," he hedged.

Kyoko nodded.

"Are you here for business then?" she inquired as she erroneously assumed that he had just stopped at her home as a diversion from whatever his real reason was for visiting the city.

"Ah, no," Ren denied before falling awkwardly silent again.

Kyoko snapped another tiny piece of cookie.

"This is ridiculous," Ren huffed as he pushed back his chair. Standing, he moved restlessly around the room. Kyoko watched him move with an expression of concern replacing the previous hope on her face. The teen observed the rancher as he nervously ran his large hands through his dark hair leaving messy furrows from the raking of his fingers.

Kyoko rose silently from her chair and moved across the room to stand beside the no longer pacing rancher. She reached for Ren's hand before it could cause further disarray with his dark locks.

"Why did you come to Philadelphia?" the young woman asked as she gently squeezed the hand she captured in her own delicate ones.

"Well, I... that is... everyone misses you," Ren stammered in reply.

"But why did _**you**_ come?" Kyoko repeated with special emphasis on the you.

"I..." Ren started as he found himself unable to continue. His concentration was destroyed by the soft warmth of the delicate fingers holding his work worn hand. His other hand moved to grasp her hands that had so tenderly trapped his. Ren flipped her hands in his grip so that they were palm up and so that he could see the fading callouses on her soft and thin hands. Ren frowned. He was not surprised to see the fading of her work won hands but he was startled by the thinness of Kyoko's appendages.

"Are you still recovering from your gunshot wound?" he suddenly demanded.

"Huh?" Kyoko responded in confusion as Ren took one of her hands in each of his hands and held them a bit away from the center of their bodies. The cowboy stared critically at the young woman from the top of her styled black hair to her slipper-covered feet. Briefly, his eyes darted to the table where he noticed that Kyoko had only taken a few sips of her hot chocolate and that all the cookies she had placed in front of her had been rendered into tiny pieces but none seemed to have been consumed. He turned his attention back to the young woman in the golden gown. He remembered the sudden glow that had overtaken Kyoko when she realized he had arrived. That excitement had dwindled slowly while he spoke rather impersonally of Trails End.

"Have you been ill?" Ren prodded.

Kyoko shook her head in denial but Ren could see the slight changes in the young woman who had seemed so strong and determined in the spring but now seemed more timid, tired and, to his eyes, almost lost.

"Have you been unhappy?" the rancher demanded as he realized the possible purpose in the letter he received. He had charged Kyoko's brother with ensuring that she was happy. Perhaps sending the message to him had been his attempt at fulfilling his promise.

Kyoko glanced at his scuffed leather boots and Ren's eyes narrowed. His right hand shifted her left hand to join its partner in the grasp of the rancher's left hand. He then lifted his right hand to her chin and tipped her chin so that he could see her golden eyes once more.

"Do you miss Trails End?" he asked but Kyoko did not respond.

"Miss Mogami, do you miss Dark Moon?"

Again Kyoko does not respond in any manner.

"Do you miss the others?" Ren speculated and Kyoko blinked slowly and tried to escape from Ren's grip. He held tight.

"Would you like to come back with me?" Ren proposed.

For a moment, a spark burned in her golden eyes that flashed once and then disappeared. Kyoko's teeth shifted to delicately bite her lower lip. Her tongue followed the motion as she curtailed her nervous response. Ren watched the tiny tip of her tongue touch her lips tenderly before slipping back into her mouth. A wash of heat flashed through the rancher's frame that had nothing to do with the hot cocoa or the now blazing fire. Courage filled his body along with the desire. The heat invaded his expression and Kyoko nervously met his eyes once more. The intense and possessive expression on the rancher's face sent a thrill of excitement and also a bit of fear through the young woman's body. She shuddered and goosebumps traveled up her arms and across her bared shoulders.

"Uh...I think..." Kyoko murmured a she attempted to take a step backwards. Ren kept a firm hold of her hands which prevented her escape. Instead, the cowboy chuckled and Kyoko froze.

"Miss Mogami," he practically purred as he leaned closer. "Did you miss me?"

Kyoko blushed scarlet from her ears, across her cheeks, and down her neck. Ren found it utterly charming. Unable to resist teasing the young woman held captive by his presence more than by his grip, Ren leaned to her ear.

"Will you come home with me, Kyoko?" he whispered seductively.

"I..." Kyoko stammered in an attempt at a reply.

Unfortunately, all thought was stolen from her as Ren shifted slightly and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth skin at the point just below her ear where the blush on her cheek met the blush on her neck.

A squeak escaped from Kyoko's lips and she skittered from Ren's hold to stand across the room.

She watched Ren as if leery of his intentions but still unable to take her eyes from his form. She was enthralled and it was obvious to the young man. His dark and seductive expression shifted to include a confident smile.

"I miss you, Kyoko," the Texan stated as he took one step closer to the golden gowned teen.

"I miss the way you scold the Ishibashis," he added as he took another step.

"I miss the way you talk to and even bribe my horse," Ren spoke as he stepped closer still.

"I miss the way you treat Deche like a brother and expect others to do the same. I miss the way you hang on every silly word Lory says as if he is a wise old man and not an eccentric old coot. I miss the way you scold me for not eating properly. I miss the attempts you make to get me to eat more by making tasty meals. I miss your joy at learning and conquering a new task or challenge. I miss the quiet determination to reach your goal."

With each statement, the Dark Moon owner courageously stepped closer until he was once more right in front of Kyoko. All he would need to do was reach out and he could touch her.

"But most of all, I miss the way you look at me as if no one could ever sit a horse as well as I do and I miss the chance of having you near enough that I can kiss you some time when I am not out of my mind with fever and disgusted with myself for finding you so damn attractive."

Kyoko's eyes were wide, golden pools as she processed each possessive statement Ren shared. A mischievous grin suddenly lit her face. The expression made the Texan's breath catch. Kyoko's hand reached for Ren's face. Her palm settled on his forehead for a moment then slid down to his cheek. She lowered her hand as Ren raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"You are not running a fever now," she stated bravely with an obvious twinkle in her eyes.

A grin of understanding broke across Ren's face.

"You are quite correct," he confirmed as he took the final step forward and slipped both his hands into her silky soft hair.

Kyoko raised her chin as he bent towards her. Kyoko closed her eyes as his lips slanted firmly against her plaint ones. Aggressively, Ren pressed his attentions forward as Kyoko melted against him. She felt like her entire body was floating away from her consciousness and the only thing that anchored her was the hot breath and insistent pressure of her partner's lips. Opening her mouth willingly to deepen the kiss, Kyoko shuddered when Ren responded to her permission by sliding his tongue along her mouth. He delved into her mouth before he entangled her tongue in an intimate caress. Finally, he coaxed her to follow him back on her own exploration of his mouth.

Breaking from the heated exchange when he knew that to continue would shatter his rapidly diminishing control, Ren shifted his head to rest on her shoulder. Gently, he kissed her pulse point on her neck. He smirked as he felt her rapid heartbeat fluttering under his lips and he could hear her labored breathing as Kyoko attempted to calm her gasping breath.

"Come home with me, Kyoko," he requested seductively.

"Ah huh," she agreed with a breathy tone that made Ren groan in frustration against her neck.

"My daughter is not going anywhere," Kuu stated firmly from a few steps behind the embracing couple.

A startled and horrified gasp escaped from Kyoko as the warm, tingly confusion swept instantly from her body as if washed away by a torrential rain. With a momentary flash of horror in his eyes, Ren lifted his head from Kyoko's shoulder. He masked his feelings under a calm expression and turned to face the frowning gentleman who was glaring at him most disturbingly.

Ren silently thanked the heavens for his perpetual suntan that helped to hide the blush he felt creeping up his neck as he tried to salvage the situation. He took a single step forward and offered his hand.

"I'm Ren Tsuruga," he offered with a smile that he hoped at least appeared to be charming. "I am the owner of the Dark Moon ranch that hired Kyoko when she was in Texas."

Kuu just stared darkly at the young man for a moment before he took the offered the hand. Ren was stiff with nerves but Kyoko suddenly relaxed when she noticed how her father was fighting the urge to smile. Kuu shook Ren's hand twice.

"It would have been nice if you had introduced yourself before examining my daughter's tonsils with your tongue in the privacy of my home and specifically in the room where I normally eat. Are you trying to destroy my appetite?"

"Father, nothing could curtail your appetite," Kyoko replied with an adoring smile as she stepped towards her father.

"I am sorry for behaving inappropriately," the teen apologized to the loving man who raised her.

Kuu glanced around the room to confirm that they were alone. He finally grinned and it was as if the sun had broken through the clouds.

"Well, now, I would not say you were being too inappropriate," he stated to Kyoko as he patted her hand.

The intimidating blond man shifted his gaze to the Texan. He frowned menacingly.

"I would suggest you refrain from doing so again though. I would hate to need to clean the cowboy debris from the carpet if my wife found you acting in such a manner," Kuu chuckled. "Julienne is decidedly more conservative than myself. I will let this pass by attributing it to an over-exuberance of emotion because you have been apart for months."

"Now, Kyoko, why don't you go and find your mother. Bring her back here so that she can also meet our unexpected guest."

Kyoko glanced nervously at Ren who offered her an encouraging smile although inside he was wondering if irate potential father-in-laws could be handled the same way as rustlers.

With a final nudge from Kuu, Kyoko fled the room. Once she was gone, the Hizuri patriarch turned no longer friendly and joking eyes on the interloper.

"You will not act in such a manner in MY home with MY daughter again," Kuu stated firmly.

"Yes, sir," Ren promised.

Kuu glared at the dark haired man who was a few inches taller than he was and only slightly broader in build. The older man's eyes narrowed menacingly and Ren shivered uncomfortably.

"Now, if you plan on taking Kyoko to your home as your wife, well, I won't be able to make any complaints about the way you kiss her once you are there... or possibly in the gardens or since it is winter, maybe the conservatory here... as long as my wife and son don't see it."

Kuu winked at the startled young man.

Ren started at the shift in behavior. He returned the grin on the older man's face with a nod and a happy smile.

"I think I can do that, sir."

"Good man," Kuu said casually as he clapped the rancher on the shoulder. "Now, how about I introduce you to my wife."

* * *

><p>The late winter sun had barely breached the horizon when a timid knock sounded on Kuon's bedroom door. The young man glanced at the door and knew who was there even before it opened after his greeting. He had just arrived home from his shift from the hospital. Unlike most interns who had to rely on the hospital for their housing and board, the Hizuris were happy to support Kuon's decision to add a two year stint of unpaid residency at the charity hospital. His parents willingness to continue supporting him financially was greatly appreciated as he found that working in the charity hospital was a balm to the hidden sores on his soul. He had taken a page from his sister's book and was giving of himself to many people. Just like Kyoko, he was finding the experiences invigorating despite the long hours.<p>

His door swung open to reveal the shaking form of his adopted sister. Tears ran down her face. He offered her a smile and opened his arms. Kyoko flung herself into his arms and he rocked back on his heels with the force. Kyoko babbled against his chest and Kuon suppressed the desire to sigh sadly because he realized this would be the last time she ever sought him in this manner.

"Hush," he whispered into her hair as he gently patted her back. Kyoko continued to mutter into his shirt a myriad of ridiculous fears and anxieties that had overwhelmed her. Kuon just held her gently until she cried herself empty and her center became filled with the calm Kuon shared with her. Kyoko finally pulled back from the hug and wiped at her tear-stained cheeks with the heel of her hand.

"Better?" Kuon inquired with a gentle smile.

Kyoko nodded.

"You are going to be fine," Kuon promised as he stepped back and sat on his bed. Kyoko followed him and sat cross-legged on the mattress too. She tucked her pajamas properly so that only her stocking covered feet peeked below the hem.

"I'm scared," his sister admitted.

"Sure you are but you don't need to be. It's just a wedding, Kyoko."

"What if I trip walking down the aisle? What if I mess up my vows? What if I hate living in Texas? What if marrying Ren isn't the right thing to do?"

Genuine fear haunted Kyoko's eyes and Kuon patted her hand that rested on her knee.

"First of all," Kuon stated. "Father will not allow you to trip. The priest will tell you exactly what to say and you liked living in Trails End before so why would you hate it now?"

Kyoko nodded as her courage was bolstered by her faith in her older brother's words. If he said it would be fine then it would be.

Kyoko reached out and tentatively touched Kuon's knee. She watched him take a breath before meeting her eyes. His expressive eyes revealed only happiness for her even though she realized that he was hurting. Her heart ached for him and in that moment Kyoko was torn.

"Father keeps crying because I am leaving. Mother has focused all her energies on the wedding because she does not want to think about me moving across the country. I am hurting you by marrying Ren. How can this be the right thing to do?"

Kuon offered Kyoko a tender smile laced with a hint of the pain he is feeling but filled more with his pride and affection for her.

"Little princesses grow up, Kyoko. They grow up and leave their kingdoms. They always do. The man you are marrying is not a false prince. You have captured the heart of a king, little sister. You are going to marry him and he is taking you back to his kingdom as his queen. You will have your happily ever after, princess. You are going to need to work on it every day but you and Ren will have it. You just need to brave enough to chase it and among the many things I know that you have, Kyoko, courage is definitely abundant. You are going to be fine. Better than fine. You are going to be loved for you and you are going to love Ren right back. You will be happy, little sister. I promise it."

"But you..." Kyoko started.

Kuon shook his head and stared hard at Kyoko. His hands captured her face so that they were staring straight into each others eyes.

"You will be happy, princess and that will make me happy. Do you understand? Chase your happiness and hold onto it for all that your strength can manage and I will be happy. Can you do that?"

Kyoko nods despite the large hands holding the sides of her face. Kuon smiles.

"That's my girl," he whispers as he places a single kiss on Kyoko's forehead.

"Now don't you think you need to start getting ready?" he prompted. "Mother will have a fit if you are not dressed and primped to perfection and in time."

A brilliant grin blossomed across Kyoko's face as she hugged her brother one last time and fled from the room.

Kuon watched her leave and the tender smile on his face did not fade. He stood. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the small velvet pouch from its interior. For a month and a half, the young blond had carried the ring with him everywhere. He stared at the black pouch for a long moment. Taking a deep breath, he pulled open the top drawer of his dresser and dropped the ring bag into its depth. With a firm snap, Kuon closed the drawer.

"I am so very proud of you, Kuon," a soft feminine voice spoke from behind him.

Kuon turned to see his mother standing behind him in a yellow morning gown. The tears that her son would not shed were streaming down her cheeks. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her taller son's body. He returned the hug while his eyes sought contact with the proud smile on his father's face where he stood leaning against the door frame.

"You knew?" Kuon questioned in amazement.

His mother hugged him tighter and Kuu smirked silently before stepping forward and holding out a handkerchief.

"Oh course, my precious," Julienne replied as she stepped back and lifted her hand to the exact place that Kuu was already holding the cloth to wipe her face. "We have known for years. We are not idiot parents after all."

Kuu met Kuon's gaze once more.

"I could not be prouder of you than I am at this moment. You may not want to follow me in my business but you have followed and surpassed me in your ability to love. I am so proud of you, Kuon."

As his mother and father stepped forward once more and hugged him, a choked thanks was all Kuon could mutter. He closed his eyes and basked in their freely offered warmth and affection.

* * *

><p>"Alright Kyoko. It's time," Kuu stated as he took his daughter's arm. He patted her gloved hand in encouragement that was more for his sake than her own.<p>

No trace of nerves betrayed the emotional upheaval Kyoko had experienced just a few hours ago. Only the confident and excited young woman remained as Kuu stepped from the foyer into the church sanctuary. The guests caught their breath at the vision in white that moved slowly down the aisle. Kyoko did not notice any of the guests though. Her vision was pinned on one figure only.

A brilliant smile erupted across Kyoko's lips as her eyes met Ren's gaze. A shiver of pure excitement shimmied down her spine as he returned her smile with one of his own. Boldly, the young woman stepped forward. She might be headed towards Trail End with each step she took but she was sure that her story would not end there. As her father lifted her veil and placed a soft kiss on her cheek and handed her to Ren, Kyoko knew that her real adventure was just beginning.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I totally gave the emperor look to Ren in this chapter but I did not want to come out and say it. I hope that everyone could tell it was the emperor who kissed Kyoko from the description I gave. Oh and history bit for this one... the first hospital in the US was one of Benjamin Franklin's babies (like the Franklin stove which is also mentioned in here) and it was a charity hospital in the truest sense of the word. They didn't even have a billing department for almost 200 years of existence. It was called the Pennsylvania Hospital and at the time of this story it did take interns and give them food and board and they stayed there all the time. Oh, and believe it or not, I also got sidetracked on refrigeration, cook stove, and fireplace history on this chapter... jeez, how sad is that (but, I did have a really good time looking at all the neat pictures of different kinds of ice boxes and wood stoves for cooking) - me**


	23. Epilogue

A large clamor invaded the stillness of the richly carpeted lobby and the manager of the hotel glanced at the large party who just entered through the ornate leaded glass and polished mahogany door. A slight frown settled on the manager's lips at the rather young child who had to be only a little older than two running wildly around the large party of potential guests who just entered. The party was dusty from travel and appeared weary from a number of days on the rails.

"Nathaniel Kuu, you stop running this instant," ordered a petite young woman dressed scandalously in a pair of work pants, a man's shirt, a cowboy hat, and rattlesnake skin accented cowboy boots.

The small, dark-haired child froze as he glanced at the young woman who was holding the hand of another child. This one did not set off the hotel manager's personal alarms. He appeared to be around four years old, calm, and contained. Obviously curious about his new surroundings, the dark haired sprite was dressed the same way as his mother minus the snakeskin on his boots. Politely, the child removed his small cowboy hat and held it against his leg with one hand while still keeping hold of his mother with the other one. His dark eyes carefully scanned the room as if he were chronically all the new sights.

Two hands grabbed the antsy child who had started moving only a few heartbeats after his mother told him to stop. The child was hoisted up and placed on the broad shoulder's of a gorgeous, tall, and dark-haired cowboy. A fleeting smile crossed the hotel staff's lips as she partook in the obvious masculine appeal of the confident man. A sigh escaped the manager's mouth as she noticed the simple gold band on the cowboy's ring finger as he situated the tiny child in place behind his neck. The little hellion's feet continued to tap energetically against the chest of the handsome and fit man whose dark eyes seemed to reflect the same joy and energy evident in his shouldered child.

With her eyes still focused on the fit stranger and his child, the manager watched in appreciation as the cowboy approached her dark wood table. She called a greeting as she offered the handsome man a sultry smile.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," the Texan replied with a gorgeous but impersonal smile. He removed his hat and rested it lightly against his thigh in much the same manner of the serious child approaching the desk while still beside his mother.

"My name is Ren Tsuruga and my family and I are in need of rooms."

The manager smiled and turned her gaze towards the others in the party. Her smile faltered.

"I'm sorry, sir," she began as her eyes glanced repeatedly at the odd collection of people behind the handsome cowboy. "We don't have room for you all. Perhaps I can recommend another establishment? One more suited to your needs."

"All we need are three rooms," Ren replied. "We don't need anything special."

Once more, the manager's eyes traveled past the handsome cowboy to the dark skinned man who silently took the hand of the the equally silent child so that the young woman could approach the desk.

The petite woman smiled in a friendly manner and the manager naturally returned the gesture even though she did not approve of the young woman's attire.

"Is there a problem?" the young stranger inquired.

With a smile still on her face, Shoko Aki shook her head.

"Unfortunately, we do not have rooms available," the hotel manager explained as her eyes flicked once more to the Indian standing in the lobby.

Golden eyes followed the manager's gaze. The golden ones narrowed as she swung back to the beautiful and well dressed young woman on the other side of the table.

"Are you sure that you do not have rooms for my family?" the younger woman inquired as an ominous shiver skittered up Miss Aki's spine.

"I am sorry, but no, we do not have any rooms available for your family," she replied. A special emphasis was placed on the word family.

"I believe that you are mistaken," the confident young woman replied. "My father already ensured that the rooms were available. I suggest that you walk your pretty little self back into that office and check with Mr. Fuwa and I am sure that he will confirm this."

"But our policy..." Shoko tried to explain but she suddenly found herself a bit frightened by the truly malicious aura that seemed to swirl around the young woman she was addressing.

"I do not care about your policy," Kyoko stressed fiercely. "Now go find Mr. Fuwa because I know he was traveling with my father. Find him and have him come here and address this so called issue of lacking rooms."

Without another word, Shoko turned and disappeared through the door behind the long table. A few minutes later, she returned with her arm tucked around Mr. Fuwa's arm.

Blue eyes widened in shock as they met the golden gaze of the demanding customer. The young man stumbled mid-step.

"Not the Mr. Fuwa I was expecting," Kyoko stated with frustration evident in her voice and her husband stiffened at her side.

"Kyoko..." stammered the shocked young man.

"Why good afternoon, Mr. Fuwa," Kyoko replied with a tight smile. "I take it your father did not warn you that I was coming?"

"No..." Sho responded. "He just said to hold the two Rose Suites and two of the Blue rooms for the Hizuris."

"Great, then you knew to hold the rooms," Kyoko replied with an expression that announced that she felt all the issues had been addressed.

Nervously, Shotaro glanced at the party in his lobby. He shrugged his companion's hand off his elbow and stepped around the long wooden table. He grabbed Kyoko and attempted to pull her aside. Before he could move her more than a step, another hand handed on his shoulder.

"I suggest that you release your grasp on my wife," a very quiet voice informed the shorter man.

Noticing the dark intent to injure evident in the large cowboy's stance, Shotaro immediately released the hold he had on his childhood friend. He glanced one more time at the two cowboys, the young blond girl who appeared to be on the cusp of being a teen and a reserved man in an only slightly outdated black suit.

"Kyoko, I can't accommodate your friend," Sho expressed earnestly.

Kyoko's eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to her fallen prince. She poked him in the chest as she informed him that he would give them the rooms. There was not a single threat in her words but the intention was implied. Sho swallowed.

"But Kyoko..."

"Rooms, Shotaro," Kyoko ordered firmly with all the intensity of someone now used to being the queen and getting her own way.

Sho stared at her for a heartbeat more then nodded. The young man had spent the last five years being run rough-shod by a forceful female keeper and he recognized a losing battle when he saw it now. In fact, he realized that his previously demure childhood friend had more steel in her soul than his keeper had. He quickly presented the keys they would need and directed the new Fuwa Inn guests to the proper floor for their accommodations. As Kyoko herded her strange family out of the lobby, Shotaro and Shoko watched them go. The weary party paused briefly in front of the doors to the newly installed electric elevator but still opted to climb the stairs to the top floor of the hotel.

As they climbed the grand stairs, Shotaro could hear Kyoko tell her husband that she would wait and try the lift with her father since it was part of his power company that made it possible. Ren just chuckled and replied that there was nothing wrong with stairs.

Hours later, the previously travel worn and weary Texans arrived at the entrance of the private dining room. They were all dressed in their Sunday best clothes although Kyoko did not have any type of hat on her head. She hoped her mother missed her enough that she would not mind its absence.

"Father!" Kyoko squealed as she left her husband's side and rushed towards her nearest relative. She had not seen him since Nathaniel had been born and missed him fiercely. Kuu caught her in a warm hug and was soon joined by his wife who sniffed delicately instead of launching into a fit of tears. They were in public after all so Julie needed the bit of decorum. She abandoned it though when her younger grandchild barreled into her leg and demanded attention from his Gam-ma-ma. The little two year old hellion already had his grandmother wrapped around his finger. His older brother offered his grandmother a simple kiss then sidled up to his grandfather. Kyoko watched as her older son asked her father some question, most likely about the electric lights or some related topic. Kuu squatted down to his level and explained the answer in details that only the scarily inquisitive four year old had any hope to understand.

"You should have named the second one Ren Junior and named the first one for dad," Kuon teased as he leaned over Kyoko's shoulder and whispered in her ear. Kyoko jumped and laughed. Kuon moved to stand beside her as the two siblings watched their family.

"Yeah, R.J. isn't living up to his namesake but everyone can still be happy. Father will teach him the Hizuri family business and Ren will teach Nathaniel how to ranch," Kyoko replied to the handsome doctor. She felt her husband move behind her and wrap his arms protectively around her middle.

"Perhaps the next one will be a little princess for your mother to spoil with all those silly Eastern fashions," Ren stated with a grin as he gently patted Kyoko's still flat stomach.

Kuon's blue eyes grew large at the sneaky secret his brother-in-law just exposed.

"Or perhaps she will want to be a doctor like her Uncle Kuon," Kyoko replied with a nudging elbow info her husband's stomach.

Kuon chuckled.

"I am sure I can find a place in my practice for her or him," he replied happily before offering his congratulations. He placed a quick kiss on Kyoko's cheek and shook Ren's hand before moving to save his mother from the crazy antics of his younger nephew.

By the time the rather boisterous meal was completed, everyone knew the Tsurugas' newest secret too. Happy teasing flew around the room. Even the elder Fuwas joined in the ruckus.

It had taken a few years and some serious grovelling on James' part but Kuu had finally forgiven his friend for the stupidity of his only child.

To keep the festivities flowing, Lory coaxed Maria into playing the piano so that the others could dance. The private dining room had a dedicated area that was clear of tables and chair for just such activities. Happily, Kyoko danced with all the cowboys from Trails End as well as her father, Mr. Fuwa, and her brother. Kuon handed the sparkling young woman back to her husband with a nod of appreciation to Ren. The dark-haired rancher then swung his pretty wife back onto the open floor and into yet another dance.

Along the edge of the gathering, Kuon noticed movement. His blue eyes followed Shotaro as he moved intently around the periphery of the room. The smaller man's eyes followed the alluring glow of his childhood friend and it was obvious that he was enthralled with the vibrant young woman she had become. As he took a step forward to enter the dance floor, a strong hand landed on his shoulder.

"I need a word with you, Fuwa," Kuon stated quietly as he propelled the younger blond out of the dining room. Kuu watched the two blonds leave the room but only one return.

"So where is the young master Fuwa?" Kuu nudged as Kuon came to stand beside him. Together they watched as Kyoko danced once more with her friend Deche and Ren danced with Julienne.

"Sho decided to retire for the night. He seemed to have a bit of a stomach ache... and a headache... and possibly some dental issues..." Kuon added with a slightly evil grin.

Kuu just shook his head with a pinched expression on his face.

"It's been five years in the making," Kuon replied to the censure evident in his father's expression.

"She's happy now," the doctor added. "It would be wrong to give him the chance to screw that up."

"Nothing he could do can touch her now," Kuu stated firmly.

"I know, dad. But it was unfinished business," he replied firmly. "It bothered me to leave it unaddressed."

"So, does that mean you can be happy now too?" Kuu inquired with a concerned glance to his son.

Koun peered across the room and his eyes followed his little sister as she finally begged to have a rest from the dancing. She was laughing happily which changed to a squeal when her husband swung her into his arms and dropped gently into a chair with her protected on his lap. Kyoko snuggled against her husband's shoulder and sighed in contentment.

"Yeah, I'm happy now," Kuon answered with his own contented grin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So that is it... Kuon did not get the girl but he did get revenge of Sho at least. I hope that everyone enjoyed this story since it was not the easiest thing for me to create. I am tempted to write an ending where Kuon gets the happily ever after with Kyoko (and I am pretty sure I even know how to do it) but I am torn. This is the story the way it was originally intended and though I felt motivated when I wrote the chapters where Kuon was showing his worthiness, I feel a lot less so now. I am happy with the ending (ha, I am removed from the crying over Kuon being alone... perhaps if I don't read the story again, I can keep it that way *grin*) and I hope that the rest of you are too. Thank you for reading this foray into a new genre for me... may I never go there again *laugh* - me**

***extra thought* Why would Ren feel the need to seek revenge on Sho? His actions led directly to her choosing a path that led to Ren. Much like the parallel in canon, I figure Ren actually owes Sho a thank you. He may hate the fallen prince but he has his chance at happiness only because the spoiled blond put the wheels in motion to lead Kyoko to him. Sho is Fate's handmaiden in both cases and Ren is the ultimate winner... just a thought to consider - me  
><strong>


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